The Mediating Role of Stress in Cultural Differences in Depression: A Comparison of US American and Chinese Culture

Abstract

The current study examined the associations between depression and several potential predictors: intolerance of uncertainty (IU), mindfulness and stress between two different cultures (US America and China). US American participants reported higher levels of depression and stress compared to their Chinese counterparts, and stress was strongly and positively associated with depression for both cultural groups. These results suggest that stress fully mediates the cultural difference in depression. Contrary to our hypotheses, however, there were no cultural differences in IU nor mindfulness. These findings have implications for counseling practice and future research.