Rumination and depressive symptoms : moderating role of chronotype

Abstract

Depression is a prevalent and debilitating mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Recent research has highlighted the importance of chronotype in the development of depression. However, there has been an inconsistent definition of chronotype, and little is known about the interplay between chronotype, rumination, and depressive symptoms. The present study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by examining the association between chronotype and depressive symptoms, as well as the moderating role of chronotype in the relationship between rumination and depressive symptoms, with the use of the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ) to assess chronotype. A cross-sectional study involving 84 young adults aged 17 to 35 years was conducted. In addition to the MCTQ, the Ruminative Response Scale-Short Form (RRS-SF) and the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) were used to measure rumination tendency and depressive symptom severity, respectively. Results showed no gender differences in chronotype, overall rumination, and both rumination subtypes (brooding and reflection). Depressive symptoms were positively correlated with overall rumination and its two subtypes, and the correlation was greater for brooding than for reflection. Chronotype was not correlated with depressive symptoms, and it was not a significant moderator in the relationship between rumination and depressive symptoms. This study contributed to the understanding of chronotype by using an accurate measure of it when examining the interplay between chronotype, rumination, and depressive symptoms. Future research should continue to explore the role of chronotype in depression and be aware of the influence of sample composition, the synchrony effect, and the measure of chronotype.