Effects of Self-Criticism and Its Relationship with Depression across Cultures

The purpose of this study is to test the cross-cultural predictions of the associations between self-criticism and depression. The participants consisted of 642 undergraduates - 200 of them studying in Japan, and 442 of them studying in the United States (Las Vegas: 242; Hawaii: 200). The results indicated that independent self-construal in the U.S. and Japan is negatively associated with comparative self-criticism, which bolstered college students’ taking criticism personally and, in turn, contributed to a high level of depression among participants. However, interdependent self-construal in Japan is positively associated with internalized self-criticism, which bolstered college students’ taking criticism personally and, in turn, contributed to a high level of depression among participants. Discussion of these results and their implications is provided, followed by suggestions for future research on culture, self-criticism, the tendency to take criticism personally which leads to high level of depression, and the interventions and implications of such research.