Irregularity in Daily Activities Predicts Depression via Reduced Perceived Control: A Daily Diary Study

Disruptions in social rhythm-referring to irregularities in daily activities such as meals, work, and social interactions-have been associated with increased psychological distress, including depression. While circadian rhythm-related factors (e.g., sleep quality) have been proposed as key mechanisms underlying this link, emerging evidence points to additional psychological pathways. This study aimed to examine perceived control as a potential psychological mediator between social rhythm irregularity and depression.

A 14-day daily diary study was conducted with 124 participants. We investigated the mediating role of perceived control in the relationship between social rhythm irregularity and depression at both the between-person and within-person levels.

At the between-person level, lower perceived control significantly mediated the association between greater social rhythm irregularity and higher depressive symptoms, even after controlling for sleep quality as a parallel mediator. At the within-person level, results from a 1-1-1 multilevel mediation model showed that daily perceived control fully mediated the link between daily social rhythm irregularity and end-of-day depressive affect.

These findings underscore the importance of considering psychological mechanisms, such as perceived control, alongside circadian rhythm-related factors when examining the mental health consequences of irregular daily routines.