Does childhood curiosity influence depression in adulthood?

Abstract

Background

Depression has become a major public health problem in the globe. However, previous studies have rarely explored the influence of character strengths on depression in adulthood from the perspective of adult self-assessment of childhood. Based on the data obtained from a national survey, the present study aimed to explore the influence of curiosity on depression and gender differences in the internal mechanism from the perspective of adult self-assessment of childhood.

Methods

This study used data from the 2020 China Family Panel Study to assess participants’ childhood curiosity, future confidence, subjective social status, and depression in adulthood. The study sample included 17,162 adults. In this study, the moderated mediation model was analyzed using PROCESS 4.1 software program.

Results

Childhood curiosity had a strong association with depression in adulthood. For men, future confidence partially mediated the relationship between childhood curiosity and depression in adulthood. For women, future confidence completely mediated the relationship between the two main variables. Furthermore, subjective social status moderated the relationship between future confidence and depression in adulthood.

Conclusions

Childhood curiosity seemed to have protective effects against depression in adulthood. In this process, future confidence served as an important mediator, and this mediating effect showed a significant gender difference. Furthermore, compared to high subjective social status, low subjective social status had a greater influence on the relationship between future confidence and depression in adulthood.