Mediating Effects of Negative Automatic Thoughts on the Relationship between Irrational Beliefs and Depression in Adults

Objectives The present study aimed to examine the relationship between irrational beliefs (demandingness, cat-astrophizing, low frustration tolerance, and self-downing) and depression and the mediating effect of negative automatic thoughts on the relationship between them. Methods We conducted an online survey of 464 adult men and women (205 males and 2,259 females) and used structural equation modeling analysis to examine whether catastrophizing, low frustration tolerance, and self-deprecation sequentially mediate the relationship between demandingness and depression through negative automatic thoughts . Results The findings are as follows: First, demandingness had a positive effect on catastrophizing, low frustration tolerance, and self-downing. Second, the relationship between demandingness and depression was fully medi-ated by low frustration tolerance and negative automatic thoughts sequentially. Third, the relationship between demandingness and depression was sequentially fully mediated by self-downing and negative automatic thoughts. Fourth, catastrophizing and negative automatic thoughts did not sequentially mediate the relationship between emandingness and depression. Conclusions Based on these findings, we discuss the significance of the present study, psychotherapeutic im-plications for effective interventions with clients who complain of depression due to irrational beliefs, and sugges-tions for future research.