An Exploration of the Relationship between Counterfactual Thinking and Depression in the Philippines - Dataset

Abstract

This dataset includes assessments of upward counterfactual thinking and depression, and other relevant variables that could influence counterfactual-related depression. Data was collected from a total of 537 Philippine-residents who voluntarily answered an online survey, which included measures of regret intensity, self-deceptive enhancement, baseline and state depression, future time opportunity and past control perceptions. Participants were allocated to three conditions (i.e., induced with upward counterfactual thinking and regret; induced with upward counterfactual thinking only; and a no-upward counterfactual thinking control condition) and then completed a writing task. Participants’ answers were in Tagalog, but English translations were provided for upward counterfactual responses. The first 68 participants comprise the manipulation check (pilot study) who answered an additional state upward counterfactual thinking questionnaire. The remaining data from 469 participants were used in the main analysis.