Investigating the mediating roles of executive functioning and rumination in the relations between dispositional mindfulness and depression among high school students
Yuanxin Hu, Xiaochun Jiang, Qian Zhang, Anbang Zhang
Current Psychology February 27, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-024-05725-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 608 |
| Population | Chinese high school students from the southwestern region of China (59.5% female; mean age 16.37 years, SD 0.53) |
| Measures | Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Teenage Executive Functioning Inventory (TEXI), Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | Dispositional mindfulness was positively associated with executive functioning and negatively associated with rumination and depression, while executive functioning was negatively correlated with rumination and depression and rumination was positively correlated with depression. Mindfulness predicted depression directly, with this effect partially mediated by executive functioning and rumination in a serial multiple mediation model, supporting the authors' hypotheses. |
Abstract
This study investigates the intricate relations between dispositional mindfulness, executive functioning, rumination, and depression among Chinese high school students. It aims to understand how dispositional mindfulness can potentially predict depression in this demographic, providing insights for preventive interventions targeting adolescent depression. Despite growing recognition of mindfulness in mental health, its relations between executive functioning, rumination, and depression in high school students is not fully understood. The study involved 608 high school students (59.5% female; M age = 16.37 SD = 0.53) from the southwestern region of China. Data were collected using established scales: the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Teenage Executive Functioning Inventory (TEXI), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The analysis revealed significant correlations: a significant positive association between mindfulness and executive functioning capabilities, alongside notable negative associations between mindfulness and both rumination and depression, and a negative correlation between executive functioning and both rumination and depression.A positive correlation was observed between rumination and depression. Analytical the mediation model indicated that mindfulness predicts depression in directly, with this predictive effect being partially mediated by executive functioning and rumination in a serial multiple mediation model. These results corroborate the initial hypotheses and highlight the intricate interactions between mindfulness, executive functioning, rumination, and depression in high school student. This study underscores the importance of mindfulness, executive functioning, and rumination in understanding adolescent depression. The findings offer valuable insights for future research and highlight key areas for potential preventive strategies in adolescent mental health.