Sequential influences of emotion regulation and rumination in trait mindfulness-depression relationships

Depression is a common mental health disorder affecting millions worldwide. Pharmacotherapies are partially effective, but numerous side effects often make them unfavorable. Recent investigations show that mindfulness meditation effectively mitigates depression-symptoms but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we examined the sequential influence of emotion regulation (ER) and rumination tendencies to explore trait mindfulness (TM) effects on depression-symptoms. 1000 undergraduates provided ratings on their depression-symptoms, mindfulness-experience, TM, ER strategy-use and rumination tendencies. Structural equation modeling was used to examine sequential influences of ER strategies and rumination tendencies on TM-depression relationships and how these mechanisms were moderated by meditation-experience. All TM facets showed sequential influences on depression-symptoms through increases in reappraisal and decreases in brooding rumination. Describe, Act with Aware and Nonjudge facets showed additional pathways including reductions in suppression, brooding-rumination and reflective-pondering. The Nonreact facet showed significant influence of meditation-experience on the mediation pathway through suppression. For individuals without meditation-experience there were positive associations between nonreactivity and brooding-rumination, reflective-pondering and depression-symptoms via suppression. These associations were absent in meditation-experienced individuals. Findings suggest the hypothesis that sequential influences of ER strategies and ruminative processes underlie TM-depression relationships and might have implications for how TM facets influence ER and rumination to promote or mitigate depression.