AMBIVALENCE OVER EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION AND NEGATIVE LIFE EVENTS - MEDIATORS OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN DEPENDENT AND SELF-CRITICAL INDIVIDUALS

We examined life events, emotional intensity, and ambivalence over the expression of emotion as possible mediators to account for the relation between Dependency, Self-Criticism and depressive symptoms. Dependency in both men (N = 74) and women (N = 76) was related to a greater number of negative relationship events and ambivalence over the expression of emotion, both of which predicted self-reported, depressive symptoms. Self-Criticism in women was related to a greater number of negative academic events and ambivalence, both of which also predicted depression. Self-Criticism in men was related only to ambivalence, which predicted depression. The mediational model including life events and ambivalence successfully accounted for 74% of the effect of personality on depression for women, and 47% of the effect for men.