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What Predicts Positive Life Events that Influence the Course of Depression? A Longitudinal Examination of Gratitude and Meaning in Life

DOI:10.1007/s10608-016-9785-x
Authors:
David Disabato at Kent State University
David Disabato
Todd B Kashdan at George Mason University
Todd B Kashdan
Jerome L. Short at George Mason University
Jerome L. Short
Jarden Aaron at University of Melbourne
Jarden Aaron
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Abstract and Figures

Decades of research have shown that positive life events contribute to the remission and recovery of depression; however, it is unclear how positive life events are generated. In this study, we sought to understand if personality strengths could predict positive life events that aid in the alleviation of depression. We tested a longitudinal mediation model where gratitude and meaning in life lead to increased positive life events and, in turn, decreased depression. The sample consisted of 797 adult participants from 43 different countries who completed online surveys at five timepoints. Higher levels of gratitude and meaning in life each predicted decreases in depression over 3 and 6 months time. Increases in positive life events mediated the effects of these personality strengths on depression over 3 months; however, not over 6 months. Goal pursuit and positive emotions are theorized to be the driving forces behind gratitude and meaning in life’s effects on positive life events. We used the hedonic treadmill to interpret the short-term impact of positive life events on depression. Our findings suggest the potential for gratitude and meaning in life interventions to facilitate depression remission.
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
What Predicts Positive Life Events that Influence the Course
of Depression? A Longitudinal Examination of Gratitude
and Meaning in Life
David J. Disabato
1
•Todd B. Kashdan
1
•Jerome L. Short
1
•Aaron Jarden
2
Published online: 30 May 2016
ÓSpringer Science+Business Media New York 2016
Abstract Decades of research have shown that positive
life events contribute to the remission and recovery of
depression; however, it is unclear how positive life events
are generated. In this study, we sought to understand if
personality strengths could predict positive life events that
aid in the alleviation of depression. We tested a longitu-
dinal mediation model where gratitude and meaning in life
lead to increased positive life events and, in turn, decreased
depression. The sample consisted of 797 adult participants
from 43 different countries who completed online surveys
at five timepoints. Higher levels of gratitude and meaning
in life each predicted decreases in depression over 3 and
6 months time. Increases in positive life events mediated
the effects of these personality strengths on depression over
3 months; however, not over 6 months. Goal pursuit and
positive emotions are theorized to be the driving forces
behind gratitude and meaning in life’s effects on positive
life events. We used the hedonic treadmill to interpret the
short-term impact of positive life events on depression. Our
findings suggest the potential for gratitude and meaning in
life interventions to facilitate depression remission.
Keywords Depression Positive life events Gratitude
Meaning in life
Introduction
Depression is the fourth leading cause of disability in the
world in terms of economic, societal, and interpersonal
costs (Kessler 2012). Across 18 countries, the respective
lifetime and yearly prevalence rates of major depressive
disorder are 14.6 and 5.5 % in high-income countries, and
11.1 and 5.9 % in low- to middle-income countries (Bro-
met et al. 2011). Individuals that struggle with depression
symptoms experience a higher probability of educational
dropout, divorce, and unemployment. On average, indi-
viduals with depression are impaired nearly 30 % of their
time in specific life roles (e.g., job) leading to less work
productivity and a loss of human capital estimated between
$44.0 and $51.5 billion (Alonso et al. 2010; Greenberg
et al. 2003; Stewart et al. 2003).
Depression Remission Factors
Approximately 20 % of individuals with depression spon-
taneously remit, or experience significant decreases in
symptoms, without any formal treatment (Posternak and
Miller 2001). Predictors of remission from depressive epi-
sodes include lower levels of negative life events, hope-
lessness, self-blame, neuroticism, worrying, and
interpersonal dependency as well as greater self-esteem
(Scott et al. 1992;Iacovielloetal.2013; Johnson et al. 2007;
Kessler 1997). To better understand how people remit from
depression, researchers can explore factors that predict
decreased depressive symptoms over time. Learning about
and changing remission factors could empower clinicians
and individuals to reduce the length of major depressive
episodes and prevent chronic depression (Dozois and Dob-
son 2004; Pettit and Joiner 2006; Lara and Klein 1999).
&Todd B. Kashdan
tkashdan@gmu.edu
1
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
2
Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
123
Cogn Ther Res (2017) 41:444–458
DOI 10.1007/s10608-016-9785-x
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
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