Influence of Neuroticism on Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediation Effects of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies

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Objective: This study aims to explore the multilevel mediation effects of cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS) on the link between neuroticism and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents. Method: A total of 1265 Chinese adolescents were surveyed using the Chinese version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-C), the neuroticism scale of the Chinese children’s version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-Ck), and the Chinese Children's Depressive symptoms Inventory (CDI-C). Partial correlation analyses, multigroup confirmatory factor analyses, and structural equation modeling were used. Results: (1) Neuroticism had significant, positive correlations with maladaptive CERS strategies (self-blame, acceptance, rumination, catastrophizing, and other-blame) and depressive symptoms (ps < 0.001). Adaptive CERS strategies (positive refocusing, refocus on planning, positive reappraisal, and putting into perspective) had significant, negative correlations with neuroticism and depressive symptoms (ps < 0.001). (2) Neuroticism and CERS strategies significantly predicted depressive symptoms. CERS strategies played partially mediating roles in the relationship between adolescents’ neuroticism and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: CERS strategies have partial multilevel mediation effects on the link between neuroticism and depressive symptoms.