Self-critical perfectionism, beliefs about emotions, emotional disclosure, and depression in young adults: a mediational analysis

Self-critical perfectionism (SCP) is a common personality trait among young adults that is associated with high levels of depression and low emotional disclosure. We tested (1) whether negative beliefs about emotions (NBE) mediated the relationship between SCP and emotional disclosure and (2) whether NBE and emotional disclosure sequentially mediated the relationship between SCP and depression in a young adult sample (N = 322). Structural equation modelling results indicated that NBE mediated the relationship between SCP and emotional disclosure, but NBE and emotional disclosure did not sequentially mediate the relationship between SCP and depression; NBE partially mediated the relationship between SCP and depression. NBE may warrant further investigation in the context of SCP and depression among young adults.