Table 1

Selected characteristics of included studies

Source (author, year)	Vulnerability measure	N	Mean age/range	SD of age	Sex (% female)	Length of follow-up (months)	Diagnostic tool	Baseline depression severity	Risk of bias									Country
Cognitive theories									1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Alloy et al, 200667 * †	CSQ, DAS	347	18.89	Nr	67.1	30	K-SADS	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	?	+	USA
Goodyer et al, 200073‡	RSQ	172	13.75	Nr	60.4	12	K-SADS	Low	+	+	+	?	+	+	+	?	–	UK
Giollabhui et al, 201874*†	HSC, ACSQ-M	173	12–13	Nr	56	18	K-SADS-E	Low	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	USA
Kruijt et al, 201375*§†	LEIDS	834	41.5	11.5	63.8	24	CIDI	Low	–	+	+	+	+	?	+	?	?	NL
Mathew et al,, 201176	DAS	1222	16.6	1.2	49.2	144	K-SAD/ SCID;	Nr	+	+	+	–	+	?	+	?	–	USA
Nusslock et al, 201168 †	CSQ, DAS, RSQ	40	20.32	1.25	42.5	36	SADS-C; SADS-L	Low	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	?	–	USA
Ormel et al, 200469 *¶ †	UCS	3998	40	11.4	49.7	36	CIDI	Nr	+	+	+	–	+	?	?	?	–	NL
Otto et al, 200766 * †	DAS	500	40.9	2.5	100	36	SCID	Low	+	+	+	?	+	+	+	?	–	USA
Stange et al, 201677	CRSQ	341	12.41	0.63	53.2	34.13	K-SADS	Low	+	+	+	+	+	?	–	?	?	USA
Stone et al,, 201178*†	CRSQ	95	11–15	Nr	62	24	K-SADS	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	–	USA
Wilkinson et al,, 201379‡†	RDQ	598	13.7	1.2	43	12	K-SADS-L	Low	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	+	UK
Personality-based theories
Eldesouky et al,, 201880*†	NEO-PI-R, MAPP, SIDP-IV	758	59.60	2.7	55	60	C-DIS-IV	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	?	+	+	+	USA
Bijl et al, 200281¶	GNQ	4455	18–64	Nr	50.3	12	CIDI	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	+	NL
Fanous et al, 200782 **, †	EPQ	1862	36.8	9.1	0	12	SCID	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	–	USA
Goldstein et al, 201783*†	BFI	463	14.4	0.63	100	18	K-SADS-PL	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	–	USA
Kendler et al, 199384**	EPQ-FormB	1477	30.1	7.6	100	12	DSM-III	Nr	+	+	+	?	+	+	?	?	–	USA
Kendler et al, 200685	EPQ-FormB	20 081	29.2	8.9	Nr	17.4	CIDI	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	?	+	?	–	SE
Kessler et al, 2008*, 86 †	GPS, ABI	4470	18–54	Nr	Nr	120	CIDI	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	+	USA
Kopala-Sibley et al, 201787 †	BFI	504	14.4	0.6	100	12	K-SADS-PL	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	–	USA
Kruijt et al, 201375 §†	NEO-FFI	834	41.5	11.5	63.8	24	CIDI	Low	–	+	+	+	+	?	+	?	?	NL
Mathew et al, 201176	MMPI	1222	16.6	1.2	49.2	144	K-SADS /SCID	Nr	+	+	+	–	+	?	+	?	–	USA
Noteboom et al, 201688 §†	NEO-FFI	648	41.4	14.7	61.1	24	CIDI	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	?	?	?	+	NL
Nusslock et al, 201168*†	BAS/BIS	40	20.32	1.25	42.5	36	SADS-C; SADS-L	Low	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	?	–	USA
Ormel et al, 200469*¶†	ABI	3998	40	11.4	49.7	36	CIDI	Nr	+	+	+	–	+	?	?	?	–	NL
Roberts and Kendler, 199989 **	EPQ	1128	30.1	7.6	100	17	SCID	Nr	+	+	+	–	+	+	+	?	–	USA
Tokuyama et al, 200370 *†	FFI	1365	34.2	10.3	52.6	12	DSM-IV	Nr	+	?	+	–	–	?	+	?	–	JP
Behavioural theories
Stavrakakis et al, 201365	Physical activity	2149	13.02	0.61	52.9	30	CIDI	Nr	+	+	+	?	?	?	+	?	+	NL
Østergaard et al, 201264	Time of sitting	11 862	43	Nr	60.6	144	ICD	Nr	+	+	+	+	+	?	+	?	–	DK
Diathesis–stress theories
Coventry et al, 200972	KPSS x SLE	6755	Nr	Nr	62.7	12	SSAGA	Nr	+	+	+	?	+	?	+	?	+	AU
Carter and Garber, 201171	CASQ x LEDS-A	207	11.86	0.57	54.2	72	K-SADS-PL	Low	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	?	+	USA

Risk of bias: 1, selection of participants; 2, diagnosis of MDD; 3, without prior history of depression; 4, covariates controlled; 5, assessment of vulnerabilities; 6, quality of assessment; 7, adequate follow-up; 8, similar treatment between onset and non-onset group; 9, other sources of bias; ‘+’, low risk of bias; ‘-’, high risk of bias; ‘?’, unclear risk of bias.
*Data derived from the Cognitive Vulnerability of Depression project
†Studies included in the meta-analysis
‡Cambridge secondary students
§Data derived from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety project; both studies were included in the meta-analysis since they measured different personality factors
¶Data derived from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS); data with the longest follow-up were retained in the meta-analysis
**Data derived from the Virginia Twin Study; data with longest follow-up were retained in the meta-analysis
ABI, Amsterdam Biographic Inventory; ACSQ, Adolescent Cognitive Style Questionnaire; ACSQ-M, Adolescent Cognitive Style Questionnaire-Modified; ALEQ, Adolescent Life Events Questionnaire; ASI, Attachment Style Interview; BFI, Big Five Inventory; CAS, Child Assessment Scale (for structured interview); CASQ, Children’s Attributional Style Questionnaire; CIDI, Composite International Diagnostic Interview; CRSQ, Children’s Response Styles Questionnaire; CSQ, Cognitive Style Questionnaire; DAS, Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale; DIA-X/M-CIDI, Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview; DIS, Diagnostic Interview Schedule; DSM-III, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III; EPQ, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire; FPI, Freiburg Personality Inventory; GNQ, Groningse Neuroticisme Questionnaire; HSC, Hopelessness Scale for Children; ICD, International Classification of Diseases; IPPA, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment; KASQ-C, Kastan Attributional Style Questionnaire for Children; KPSS, Kessler Perceived Social Support; K-SADS, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children; K-SADS-L, Kiddie Schedule for the Affective Disorders Lifetime version; KSADS-PL, Kiddie Schedule for the Affective Disorders Past and Lifetime version; LEDS, Life Events and Difficulties (LEDS) interview; LEDS-A, Life Events and Difficulties (LEDS) interview for adolescents; LEDS-r, Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-revised; MAPP, Multisource Assessment of Personality Pathology; MLES, Major Life Events Scale; MMPI, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory; MPQ, Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire; NEO-FFI, Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five Factor Inventory; NEO-FFI, Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five Factor Inventory; NEO-PI-R, Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory-Revised; Nr, not reported; NRI, Network of Relationships Inventory; PSE, Present State Examination; RDQ, Responses to Depression Questionnaire; RRS, Ruminative Response Scale; RSQ, Response Style Questionnaire; SADS-C, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Change version; SADS-L, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children–Epidemiological version–Present and Lifetime; SCID, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM; SCID-NP, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM: Non-patient Lifetime; SIDP-IV, Semi-Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality; SLE, Stressful Life Events; SPIKE, Structured Psychopathological Interview and Rating of the Social Consequences of Psychological Disturbances for Epidemiology; SSAGA, Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism; UCS, Utrecht Coping Scale.