Corrigendum: Curiosity does help to protect against anxiety and depression symptoms but not conversely

This was a re-analysis of Zainal and Newman (2022) correcting for critiques by Sorjonen, Nilsonne, et al. (2022). As recommended by these authors, in this reanalysis we no longer adjust for baseline measures of the outcome variable in our examination of the longitudinal within-person relations between need for cognition (NFC) and anxiety and depression symptoms (ADS).

Using random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM), and bivariate dual latent change score (BLCS) approaches, we separated between- and within-person effects. RI-CLPM and BLCS have advantages of adjusting for regression to the mean, autoregressive and lagged effects, and minimizing measurement error. Community-dwelling adults (n = 6750) completed the Mental Health Inventory-5 and trait-level NFC scales approximately every year across 10 years.

Consistent with the original results, a lower level of NFC within persons predicted a higher future level of ADS and vice versa (d = -0.885 to -0.476). Likewise, BLCS demonstrated that within persons, a smaller change in NFC forecasted a larger subsequent increase in ADS (d = -0.316). However, unlike our original findings, change in ADS did not predict future change in NFC (d = 0.136). The pattern of findings remained after adjusting for socio-demographic covariates.

Results support our original finding that cultivating curiosity may help prevent the development of future anxiety and depressive symptoms. Importantly the results refute Sorjonen, Nilsonne, et al. (2022)'s simulated findings regarding the predictive value of NFC. Targeting NFC may treat or prevent the emergence of depression and anxiety disorders.