Fear of cognitive dyscontrol -one of the lower-order factors of the Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) construct - has been proposed as a vulnerability factor for depression (DEP). AS-cognitive dyscontrol is supposed to act as either a pre-existent enduring vulnerability trait or a psychological post-depression “scar” which would render an individual vulnerable to future episodes of DEP.

Results from previous research on this topic are limited and inconsistent, and most of them were addressed using cross-sectional design.

This study examined whether fear of cognitive dyscontrol did prospectively predict DEP.

A total of 182 subjects from the general population participated in the study (69% females; Mean age = 32.6, SD = 14.3, Range = 18–65). Participants completed measures of AS and DEP at T1 and T2 (one year later).

Hierarchical regression analyses, controlling for background variables and depression at T1, did not support the AS-cognitive dyscontrol domain as a significant predictor of DEP at T2. However, secondary analyses showed that scores on the AS-cognitive dyscontrol domain at T1 did significantly predict DEP at T2 among males and younger participants, while it did fail to predict DEP among females and older participants.

Findings support the AS-cognitive dyscontrol facet as a pre-existent enduring vulnerability trait for DEP, and provide preliminary support to the role of age and gender as moderators of such a relationship, suggesting new insights to explain previous inconsistent results in the field.