Anger and Depression: Evidence of a Possible Mediating Role for Rumination

Abstract

Tendency to ruminate may mediate the relationship between anger and depression. In this preliminary study, 353 Italian community participants completed the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory–2, the Padua Inventory's Tendency to Doubt and to Ruminate subscale, and the Beck Depression Inventory–II. Trait anger and depression were expected to have a positive relationship, and separate relationships with the tendency to ruminate. Theoretically, a new hypothesis was that the tendency to ruminate would mediate the relationship between depression and anger. Zero-order and partial correlations and a path analysis based on Baron and Kenny's method for calculating multiple regression analyses were calculated. Consistent with the hypotheses, anger and depression were strongly associated; the tendency to ruminate was significantly associated with both anger and depression; and the mediation model fit the data. Behaviors related to the tendency to ruminate could help to explain how depression is related to anger.