CAUSAL MECHANISMS LINKING CORE COGNITIVE VULNERABILITY AND INTERNALIZING SYMPTOMS: MEDIATION BY EMOTION DYSREGULATION AND MODERATION BY NEGATIVE LIFE STRESS

Abstract

Cognitive vulnerability has gained empirical traction as transdiagnostic risk factors for internalizing psychopathology among adults. However, little prospective research has examined the transdiagnostic etiological pathway by which cognitive vulnerability leads to internalizing symptoms. Using a longitudinal design, the current study sought to examine the (a) moderation by negative life stress and (b) mediation of emotion dysregulation in the vulnerability-symptom link. A sample of emerging adults (N = 307) completed self-report measures of core vulnerability, emotion dysregulation, negative life stress and symptoms at two time points approximately seven months apart. Core vulnerability, emotion dysregulation and negative life stress were found to be broad correlates of the higher-order internalizing factor. Regression analyses found support for the partial mediation of emotion dysregulation and the moderation of life stress in the vulnerability-symptom link. However, when baseline symptoms were controlled, the mediation and interaction effects were nonsignificant. The present study contributes novel insights into examining the transdiagnostic risk factors (core vulnerability and emotion dysregulation) in the context of negative life stress within a single model. The study elucidates transdiagnostic pathways to internalizing symptoms which could potentially inform intervention targets and prevention efforts.