A mindfulness model of affect regulation and depressive symptoms: Positive emotions, mood regulation expectancies, and self-acceptance as regulatory mechanisms

Abstract

Mindfulness is increasingly conceptualized in terms of its regulatory function with research suggesting that mindfulness may have a salutary effect on psychological well-being. The present cross-sectional study of 514 college students (84% Caucasian and 62% females), using self-report questionnaires, tested a proposed model for understanding the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and depressive symptoms through three types of affect regulation: emotion regulation, mood regulation and self-regulation, as measured by positive emotions, mood regulation expectancies (i.e., perceived mood repair ability), and self-acceptance, respectively. Structural equation modeling revealed that the model fit the data well, with the relationship between mindfulness, as measured by the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, and depressive symptoms, as measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, fully mediated by the proposed regulatory processes. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were associated with higher levels of positive emotions, mood regulation expectancies, and self-acceptance, which in turn, were all inversely related to depressive symptoms. Self-acceptance emerged as the strongest mediator of mindfulness and depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that mindfulness might serve a regulatory function by targeting low positive emotionality, poor mood regulation, and negative self-concept, risk factors implicated in the onset, development, and maintenance of depressive symptoms.