Cited by 241Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPersonality Traits and PsychologyMental Health Research Topics

Is low positive emotionality a specific risk factor for depression? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.

Open access
Khazanov, Gabriela Kattan, Ruscio, Ayelet Meron·2016·Psychological Bulletin

Abstract

Depression is well known to share a negative cross-sectional relationship with personality constructs defined by positive emotion (positive affect, extraversion, behavioral activation). These Positive Emotionality (PE) constructs have been proposed to represent stable temperamental risk factors for depression, not merely current mood state. These constructs have also been proposed to increase risk specifically for depression, relative to anxiety. We performed a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies to examine the relationship of PE to depression (59 effect sizes) and anxiety (26 effect sizes). In cross-sectional analyses, PE constructs were negatively associated with depression (r = -.34) and anxiety (r = -.24). PE constructs also prospectively predicted depression (r = -.26) and anxiety (r = -.19). These relationships remained statistically significant, but were markedly attenuated, when baseline levels of depression (β = -.08) and anxiety (β = -.06) were controlled. Moreover, depression and anxiety were equally strong predictors of subsequent changes in PE (β = -.07 and -.09, respectively). These findings are consistent with theoretical accounts of low PE as a temperamental vulnerability for depression, but suggest that the prospective relationship of PE to depression may be weaker and less specific than previously assumed. (PsycINFO Database Record

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  • Low positive affect predicts and characterizes some anxiety disorders.

    “Deficits in positive affect are predictive and characteristic of certain anxiety disorders (Khazanov & Ruscio, 2016; Kotov, Gamez, Schmidt, & Watson, 2010), as well as depression (e.g., Mineka, Watson, & Clark, 1998).”

    From Examining Positive and Negative Affect as Outcomes and Moderators of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder. (2019) · cites this paper as Khazanov & Ruscio, 2016

    The Discussion (Specificity of PE as a Risk Factor for Depression Relative to Anxiety; page unavailable) reports associations between positive emotionality and several anxiety disorders, supporting the ‘characteristic’ part. The Results (Effect Size Analyses; page unavailable) find that positive emotionality predicts anxiety measured generally, but the Discussion (Limitations; page unavailable) says the study could not test whether it predicts particular anxiety disorders. The disorder-specific predictive claim is therefore not established by this source. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • These findings are paralleled by results from longitudinal datasets, experimental designs, and structural equation modelling.

    “These findings are paralleled with results harnessing longitudinal datasets, experimental designs, and structural equation modelling methods (Brown, Chorpita, & Barlow, 1998; Kashdan, Weeks, & Savostyanova, 2011; Khazanov & Ruscio, 2016; Sewart et al., 2019).”
  • Positive emotionality decreases risk for depression.

    “In contrast, meta-analytic data indicate that positive emotionality (e.g., positive affect, extraversion, and behavioral activation) decreases risk for depression16.”

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Research works printed but not linked: 12

  1. Beran TM 2009 Personality and coping strategies as predictors of adjustment to choroidal melanoma Doctoral dissertation University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA ProQuest Information & Learning database
  2. Bornstein JE 2003 Personality, coping, and adaptation in maternal caregivers of children with chronic illness Doctoral dissertation Pacific Graduate School of Psychology Palo Alto, CA ProQuest Information & Learning database
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  4. Dill EJ 2005 An extensive validation of a comprehensive multidimensional measure of internalizing symptoms in adolescents (the I FEEL questionnaire) and an integrated action-control model of depression Doctoral dissertation University of Kansas Lawrence, KS ProQuest Information & Learning, database
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  6. Fox JK Prospective effects of temperamental reactivity, emotion dysregulation, and stress on risk for anxiety and depression in elementary school-age children Doctoral dissertation State University of New York Albany, NY ProQuest Information & Learning database
  7. Hedges LV Olkin I 1985 Statistical method for meta-analysis Orlando, FL Academic Press
  8. Lipsey MW Wilson DB 2001 Practical meta-analysis 49 Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications
  9. Prenoveau JM 2009 Stability of and structural relations among anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and extraversion during adolescence: Results from a 3-year longitudinal latent variable study Doctoral dissertation University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA ProQuest Information & Learning database
  10. Reddy MK 2010 Coping as a mediator in the prospective relationship between personality and PTSD symptoms in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) combat veterans Doctoral dissertation Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL ProQuest Information & Learning database
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  12. Workshop Proceedings 2011 6 NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Project Positive Valence Systems Domain workshop Rockville, Maryland

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Authors
Khazanov, G. K., & Ruscio, A. M.
Venue
Psychological Bulletin
Published
2016-09
Volume
142
Issue
9
Pages
991-1015
ISSN
  • 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1455
OpenAlex
W2473686504
Cited by
240
References
179
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1
FWCI
1.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH094425)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
Keywords
positive affectivity, depression, anxiety, positive affect, extraversion, behavioral activation, prospective prediction
MeSH terms
Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Emotions, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Personality, Risk Factors, Temperament

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