Dimensions of temperament and depressive symptoms: Replicating a three-way interaction

•Negative and positive emotionality (NE and PE) and effortful control (EC) are linked to depression.•NE, PE, and EC may moderate one another’s association with depressive symptoms.•Preliminary evidence supports a three-way (i.e., NE × PE × EC) interaction.•We sought to replicate this interaction in five independent samples.•Results support the replicability of this interaction and suggest it should be considered in theory and research.

High negative emotionality (NE), low positive emotionality (PE), and low self-regulatory capacity (i.e., effortful control or EC) are related to depressive symptoms and furthermore, may moderate one another’s relations to such symptoms. Indeed, preliminary evidence suggests they may operate in a three-way interaction (Dinovo & Vasey, 2011), but the replicability of that finding remains unknown. Therefore, we tested this NE × PE × EC interaction in association with depressive symptoms in 5 independent samples. This interaction was significant in 4 of the 5 samples and a combined sample and approached significance in the fifth sample. In contrast, the NE × PE × EC interaction was unrelated to general anxious symptoms and thus may be specific to symptoms of depression. Implications, directions for future research, and limitations are discussed.