PERSONALITY, RUMINATION AND DEPRESSION A META-ANALYSIS OF COGNITIVE MEDIATORS OF EMOTIONAL OUTCOMES

Abstract

This extensive meta-analysis consolidates results from almost 300 empirical research published between 2000 and 2024 to investigate the influence of personality factors on the predisposition to overthinking and depression, focusing specifically on the mediating role of rumination. Utilizing the Five-Factor Model (FFM), the research reveals neuroticism, Introversion, and poor Conscientiousness as fundamental dispositional variables that contribute to psychological fragility. Findings indicate significant positive connections between neuroticism and overthinking (r = .42) as well as depression (r = .48), along with a similarly substantial correlation between rumination and depressed symptoms (r = .46). Introversion and low Conscientiousness have statistically significant but lesser, correlations. Meta-analytic structural equation modeling demonstrates that overthinking significantly influences the relationship between neuroticism and depression (b = .19, p < .001). Moderator analyses indicate more pronounced impacts in adolescent, female, and clinical populations. These findings provide empirical validation for integrated cognitive and personality-based theories of depression and promote the adoption of personality-informed screening and intervention strategies in mental health care.