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Asian Journal of Psychiatry 6 (2013) 35–41

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Asian Journal of Psychiatry


journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ajp

Anger and major depressive disorder: The mediating role of emotion regulation
and anger rumination§
Mohammad Ali Besharat *, Mahin Etemadi Nia, Hojatollah Farahani
Department of Psychology, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6456, Tehran, Iran

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Article history: Many studies have documented the existence of a close relationship between anger and depression.
Received 7 May 2012 Furthermore, recent literature has emphasized the role of impaired emotion regulation and anger
Received in revised form 27 July 2012 rumination in depression. The aim of this study was to explore the mediating role of emotion regulation
Accepted 30 July 2012
and anger rumination on the relation between anger and major depressive disorder. Eighty-eight
patients with major depressive disorder (20 males, 68 females) completed the Beck Depression
Keywords: Inventory (BDI), the Multidimensional Anger Inventory (MAI), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation
Major depressive disorder
Questionnaire (CERQ), and the Anger Rumination Scale (ARS). Results illustrated that in clinically
Anger
Emotion regulation
depressed people, there are positive relationships between anger, depression, emotion regulation, and
Anger rumination anger rumination. Path analysis revealed that emotion regulation and anger rumination played a
mediating role on the relation between anger and major depression. Anger was associated with
depression via emotion regulation and anger rumination. Findings of the present study suggest that
emotion regulation and anger rumination play an important role on the relation between anger and
depression. The current study implicates the complicated nature of depression, and emphasizes the
understanding and conceptualization of diverse variables that influence depression.
ß 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction Evidence has demonstrated a close relationship between anger


and depression both in normal (e.g., Kashdan and Roberts, 2007;
As one of the most common psychological disorders, major Riley et al., 1989; Robbins and Tanck, 1997) and patient
depression is associated with impaired regulation of emotion populations (e.g., Besharat et al., 2011; Brody et al., 1999; Fava
(Davidson et al., 2002; Joormann and Gotlib, 2010). Few studies and Rosenbaum, 1998; Novaco, 2010). Depressed people exhibit
have attempted to explain the relationship between anger and more anger suppression than normal people (Bridewell and Chang,
depression. Anger is defined as a negative feeling state associated 1997; Robbins and Tanck, 1997). Evolutionary theories of
with specific cognitive appraisals, physiological changes depression suggest that aroused but arrested defenses of fight
and action tendencies (Kassinove and Sukhodolsy, 1995). Although (arrested anger) and flight (feelings of entrapment) may be among
anger could be adaptive especially when it is expressed in a the important components of depression (Gilbert et al., 2004).
constructive manner (Taylor and Novaco, 2005), destructive anger, However, it has been recognized that depressed people also
that causing interrupted interpersonal relationships and excessive experience more anger (Cheng et al., 2005). Again, in the case of
activity of sympathetic nervous system, is generally accounted as treatment, having some residual symptoms such as anger is related
maladaptive (Deffenbacher et al., 1996; Goleman, 2004; Howells, to poor therapeutic outcomes and more relapses in depressed
2004). Apparently, variety in anger expression is associated with people (Fava and Rosenbaum, 1998). Depressed people also
psychological and physiological pathology. Anger arousal, and at percept more hostility than the normal population (Moreno
the same time its inhibition, is related to increased diastolic and et al., 1993; Riley et al., 1989).
systolic blood pressure (Bishop et al., 2008; Bongard and al’Absi, Psychodynamic theory states that anger is the cause of
2005; Goldstein et al., 1988) and heart disease (Depaulo and depression, but current conceptualizations propose a more
Horvitz, 2002; Tennant and McLean, 2001). complicated relationship. Finman and Berkowitz (1989) showed
that a little increase in depressed mood led to activation of angry
feelings. Indeed, interaction between different causal mechanisms
§ disturbs definite conclusions (Garnefski et al., 2002). Despite
This study was supported by University of Tehran.
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +98 21 220 7450. various investigations on anger-depression relationship from
E-mail address: besharat@ut.ac.ir (M.A. Besharat). clinical and theoretical views, there is insufficient evidence on

1876-2018/$ – see front matter ß 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2012.07.013
36 M.A. Besharat et al. / Asian Journal of Psychiatry 6 (2013) 35–41

the nature and circumstances of this relationship. Depression is needs to be explained. People who use rumination as an emotion
heterogeneous and therefore multiple variables may be operating. regulation strategy are more likely to experience anger repeatedly
Disturbances in emotional processing or negative bias in (Martin and Dahlen, 2005). The cognitive model of depression
processing emotional information is a key feature of major proposes that depression may intensify by a reciprocal cycle
depressive disorder (e.g., Gotlib et al., 2004; Koster et al., 2005; between negative thoughts and mood (Beck et al., 1979).
Siegle et al., 2002). Such dysfunctions of emotional information Rumination may be a feature of emotion regulation that has
processing are presented by negative attention biases toward cues unexpected effects on increasing distress during a long period of
for sadness or dysphoria (Gotlib et al., 2004) and negative time (Campbell-Sills and Barlow, 2007).
interpretation of neutral or positive information (Gollan et al., The current study attempted to examine the relationship
2008) in patients with major depressive disorder. among anger, depression, emotion regulation, and anger rumina-
Current research has emphasized the importance of emotional tion in people with major depressive disorder. It was hypothesized
functioning and deficits in emotion regulation for depression and that the relationship between anger and depression in people with
related psychological disorders (Ehring et al., 2008; Gross and major depressive disorder is mediated by emotion regulation and
Munoz, 1995; Joormann and Gotlib, 2010). Although there is no anger rumination. The hypothetical model of the research is
consensus on the precise nature of these deficits, it is proposed that illustrated in Fig. 1.
depression changes emotional reactivity in some ways (Rottenberg
et al., 2005). Dysfunctions of emotion regulation are associated 2. Method
with changes in depressive symptoms (Ehring et al., 2008).
Emotion regulation refers to methods that are used to change or 2.1. Participants and procedure
modify the experience and expression of emotions, as well as times
in which emotions occur (Rottenberg and Gross, 2003). Emotions A total of 88 participants with major depressive disorder (68
can be regulated by a range of unconscious or conscious cognitive women, 20 men; mean age: 33.61, age range: 18–58, SD: 9.28)
processes (Garnefski et al., 2001). This study is limited to self- participated in this study. Patients were selected if (i) they met the
regulatory, conscious, and cognitive components of emotion DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000) diagnostic criteria for major depression;
regulation. (ii) consulting for the first time in order to control therapeutic
Cognitive emotion regulation consists of two types of coping outcomes; and having good physical health. Patients were
strategies: Less adaptive coping strategies such as self-blaming, excluded from the study if (i) they did not agree to participate
blaming others, rumination, and catastrophizing are categorized; in the study; (ii) they had a current/past medical or psychiatric
and more adaptive coping strategies including acceptance, refocus disorder in addition to depression (because of high comorbidity of
on planning, positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, and putting major depression and anxiety disorders, this criteria was not fully
into perspective (Garnefski et al., 2001). Garnefski et al. (2002) applied and 16% of the present sample contemporaneously
have accounted the use of less adaptive cognitive coping strategies suffered from general anxiety disorder); (iii) they had a significant
as correlates of depression. Less adaptive coping strategies are health problem; (iv) they had prior psychiatric treatment.
associated with experience of and expression of anger as well Participants were asked to complete Beck Depression Inventory
(Martin and Dahlen, 2005). Several of the specific coping strategies (BDI), Multidimensional Anger Inventory (MAI), Cognitive Emotion
proposed by Garnefski et al. (2001) are theoretically related to Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), and Anger Rumination Scale
anger (Beck, 1999). (ARS). Upon completion, all participants were thanked for their
Anger rumination is defined as an unintentional and recurrent participation. The protocol was approved by Department of
cognitive process that emerges during and continues after an Psychology, University of Tehran. All participants signed an
episode of anger experience (Sukhodolsky et al., 2001). It is informed consent document prior to performing the research
responsible for duration and intensification of anger (Segerstrom procedure. Participants were primarily drawn from the middle
et al., 2003). Sukhodolsky et al. (2001) stated that, ‘‘Generally, if socioeconomic classes. Participants’ demographic information is
anger is viewed as an emotion, anger rumination can be defined as presented in Table 1.
thinking about this emotion’’ (p. 689). Research has demonstrated
a relation between anger rumination and depression (e.g., Gilbert 2.2. Measures
et al., 2005). Anger rumination is also associated with aggression
and anger (Maxwell, 2004; Maxwell et al., 2005; Peled and Moretti, 2.2.1. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
2010) and it can partially explain the intensity (Bushman, 2002; The BDI (Beck et al., 1988) is a 13-item measure of depressive
Rusting and Nolen-Hoeksema, 1998) and endurance (Bushman, symptomatology. Each item is rated on a four-point Likert scale
2002) of angry feelings. ranging from 0 to 3. The BDI is a widely used measure with
Rumination is also associated with the tendency for anger considerable support for its reliability and validity across a variety
suppression (Martin and Dahlen, 2005). In fact, there is a of samples (Besharat, 2004; Beck et al., 1979, 1988). Cronbach’s
complicated relationship between rumination and anger that alpha coefficient was .78 for the present study.

Fig. 1. The hypothetical model of the mediating role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation between anger and depression.
M.A. Besharat et al. / Asian Journal of Psychiatry 6 (2013) 35–41 37

Table 1 2.2.4. The Farsi version of the Anger Rumination Scale (ARS)
Demographic information (N = 88).
This is a 19-item self-report measure of the tendency to think
Variable Mean (S.D.) Frequency Percentage about current anger-provoking situations and to recall anger
Age (year) 33.61 (9.28) episodes from the past (Sukhodolsky et al., 2001). Each item is
Duration of illness (month) 42.14 (37.60) rated on a four-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (almost never) to 4
Sex (almost always). The scale also provides a total anger rumination
Female 68 77.3 score. It includes four subscales: anger afterthoughts, thoughts of
Male 20 22.7
revenge, angry memories, and understanding of causes. Adequate
Marital status
Married 54 61.4 psychometric properties of the scale have been reported for the
Single 32 36.4 English (Sukhodolsky et al., 2001) and the Farsi (Besharat, 2011;
Divorced 2 2.3 Besharat and Mohammad Mehr, 2009) versions.
Highest education level
9th to 12th grade 48 54.6
Bachelor level 34 38.6 3. Results
Master level 6 6.8
A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed
between measures of anger, anger rumination, and emotion
regulation and the categorical variable of gender in order to
2.2.2. The Farsi version of the Multidimensional Anger Inventory examine gender differences. The use of Wilks’ criterion analysis
(MAI) revealed that there was no multivariate main effect for gender
The MAI is a 30-item scale rated on a five-point Likert scale F(3,84) = 0.84, P > 0.05. So subsequent analyses were collapsed
ranging from 1 (completely undisruptive) to 5 (completely across gender.
descriptive). Items measure five dimensions of anger including Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficients
anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, hostile outlook, anger- between variables are shown in Table 2. Correlation coefficients
out, and anger-in. Psychometric properties of the MAI have been between variables showed that depression was positively corre-
confirmed across several studies (e.g., Siegel, 1986). Psychometric lated with four dimensions of anger as well as anger rumination
properties of the Farsi version of the scale indicated sufficient and less adaptive emotion regulation strategies. Less adaptive
internal consistency and test-retest reliability (Besharat, 2007). emotion regulation strategies were positively associated with
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was .80 for the present study. anger arousal and anger-eliciting situations. It was also shown that
anger rumination was positively correlated with four dimensions
2.2.3. Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) of anger including anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, hostile
The CERQ is a 18-item questionnaire validated for measuring outlook, and anger-in.
individual differences in coping across nine subscales: Self-blame, Variance–covariance matrices were used as input data in order
blaming others, acceptance, refocusing on planning, positive to examine the hypothesized model of the study (Fig. 1). Since
refocusing, rumination, positive reappraisal, putting into perspec- distribution of the data was normal, the maximum likelihood (ML)
tive, and catastrophizing (Garnefski and Kraaij, 2006). Items are method was conducted. The results showed that the model is
rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (almost never) to 5 significant for anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, and hostile
(almost always) so that higher scores represent greater use of the outlook; and insignificant for anger-in and anger-out.
coping strategy. Adequate psychometric properties of the scale Fig. 2 displays standardized path coefficients on the mediating
have been reported for the English version (Garnefski and Kraaij, role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation of
2006; Garnefski et al., 2001). Preliminary findings on the Farsi anger arousal to depression. Direct effects of variables are shown
version of the CERQ have confirmed the internal consistency and on the arrows pointing to relationships of variables in the model.
the test-retest reliability of the scale (Besharat, 2010). As can be seen from Fig. 2, anger arousal explained 35% of

Table 2
Mean scores, standard deviations, and correlations between depression and measures of anger, anger rumination and emotion regulation.

Variable M S.D. Anger rumination Less adaptive Depression


emotion regulation

Anger arousal 40.69 12.08 .25* .28** .67**


Anger-eliciting situations 33.72 7.89 .22* .23* .53**
Hostile outlook 41.67 7.44 .31** .16 .44**
Anger-out 13.16 2.43 .03 .14 .11
Anger-in 21.68 4.32 .32** .19 .38**
Depression 21.70 6.90 .31** .44**
Less adaptive emotion regulation 26.48 12.72 .37**
Anger rumination 55.05 12.72
*
p < .05.
**
p < .01.

Fig. 2. Standardized path coefficients on the mediating role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation of anger arousal to depression.
38 M.A. Besharat et al. / Asian Journal of Psychiatry 6 (2013) 35–41

Fig. 3. Standardized path coefficients on the mediating role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation of anger-eliciting situations to depression.

Fig. 4. Standardized path coefficients on the mediating role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation of hostile outlook to depression.

depression variance by the path coefficient of .59. On the other Table 3 shows standardized and non standardized coefficients
paths, anger arousal explained 6% of less adaptive emotion of direct paths for anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, and
regulation variance by the path coefficient of .25, and 8% of anger hostile outlook.
rumination by the path coefficient of .29. Less adaptive emotion One of the structural equations modeling aims is to detect
regulation explained 8% of depression variance by the path indirect effects of independent variables (exogenous variables) on
coefficient of .28, and anger rumination explained 6% of depression dependant variables (endogenous variables); so indirect effects of
variance by the path coefficient of .25. All of these direct independent variables are displayed in Table 4. These indirect
coefficients were significant at p < .05. coefficients were significant at p < .05.
Fig. 3 displays standardized path coefficients on the mediating The Fit indices related to models of anger arousal, anger-
role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation of eliciting situations, and hostile outlook are presented in Table 5.
anger-eliciting situations to depression. All of these direct Absolute fit of each model was adequate. Comparative indices of
coefficients were significant at p < .05. the models were superior to independent models. Expected cross-
Fig. 4 displays standardized path coefficients on the mediating validation index (ECV) indicated the validity of the models.
role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation of The results showed that three dimensions of anger including
hostile outlook to depression. All of these direct coefficients were anger arousal, anger eliciting-situations, and hostile outlook were
significant (p < .05). related to depression through the mediating role of emotion

Table 3
Standardized and non standardized coefficients of direct paths for anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, and hostile outlook.

Paths B b t p

Anger arousal The effect of anger arousal on depression .34 .59 7.36 .001
The effect of anger arousal on less adaptive emotion regulation .14 .28 2.55 .03
The effect of anger arousal on anger rumination .26 .25 2.39 .04
The effect of less adaptive emotion regulation on depression .28 .25 3.25 .01
The effect of anger rumination on depression .44 .29 6.25 .001

Anger-eliciting situations The effect of anger-eliciting situations on depression .36 .44 4.91 .001
The effect of anger-eliciting situations on less adaptive emotion regulation .18 .23 2.23 .03
The effect of anger-eliciting situations on anger rumination .35 .22 2.09 .03
The effect of less adaptive emotion regulation on depression .34 .30 3.46 .01
The effect of anger rumination on depression .26 .12 2.21 .03

Hostile outlook The effect of hostile outlook on depression .34 .44 3.93 .01
The effect of hostile outlook on less adaptive emotion regulation .33 .23 4.11 .001
The effect of hostile outlook on anger rumination .54 .22 3.09 .001
The effect of less adaptive emotion regulation on depression .40 .30 4.01 .001
The effect of anger rumination on depression .23 .12 4.91 .001

Table 4
Standardized coefficients of indirect paths for dimensions of anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, and hostile outlook.

Paths b Zsobel

Anger arousal The effect of anger arousal on depression mediated by less adaptive emotion regulation .07 2.01*
The effect of anger arousal on depression mediated by anger rumination .07 2.11*

Anger-eliciting situations The effect of Anger-eliciting situations on depression mediated by less adaptive emotion regulation .07 2.11*
The effect of Anger-eliciting situations on depression mediated by anger rumination .03 2.03*

Hostile outlook The effect of hostile outlook on depression mediated by less adaptive emotion regulation .09 2.07*
The effect of hostile outlook on depression mediated by anger rumination .08 2.21*
*
p < .05.
M.A. Besharat et al. / Asian Journal of Psychiatry 6 (2013) 35–41 39

Table 5
Fit indices related to models of anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, and hostile outlook.

Model X2 df p X2/df RMSEA GFI AGFI CFI ECV

Anger arousal 3.34 1 .224 3.34 .011 .95 .93 .89 .02
Anger-eliciting situations 3.06 1 .152 3.06 .032 .95 .92 .93 .02
Hostile outlook 4.35 1 .130 4.35 .030 .96 .94 .89 .07

Fig. 5. Proposed model of the study on the mediating role of emotion regulation and anger rumination on the relation between anger dimensions and depression.

regulation and anger rumination. Thus, proposed model of the symptoms. In the present study, we investigated conscious and
research is presented in Fig. 5. cognitive processes such as self-blame, blaming others, and
rumination. Depressive symptoms may indicate the existence of
4. Disscusion less adaptive cognitive coping strategies. On the other hand, the
existence of multiple causal mechanisms in depression makes the
This study presented a hypothetical model to examine the final conclusion impossible. Indeed, anger initiates depression
relationships between anger, depression, emotion regulation, and through these less adaptive regulation strategies. On the other side,
anger rumination in a sample of patients with major depressive depressive mood elicits negative feelings such as anger, and
disorder. Results of the present study revealed positive relation- consequently the feelings accompanied with failures in regulation
ships between anger, depression, emotion regulation, and anger worsen the depressed mood. Anger rumination as a coping strategy
rumination. As predicted, emotion regulation and anger rumina- in the presence of anger is effective in depression. When anger
tion played a mediating role on the relation between anger and feelings are elicited, depressive mood makes a connection between
major depression. Results of the present study confirmed the the feelings and past memories and activates automatic thoughts.
hypothetical model about three dimensions of anger including These thoughts have a close relationship with central self-concept.
anger arousal, anger-eliciting situations, and hostile outlook. These These thoughts include anger rumination as well. In this situation,
findings are consistent with existing evidence of a robust individuals may have hostile feelings toward others, and a
relationship between anger, depression, emotion regulation, and tendency for revenge or other components of rumination might
anger rumination (e.g., Besharat et al., 2011; Campbell-Sills and be started off.
Barlow, 2007; Cheng et al., 2005; Davidson et al., 2002; Ehring From the metacognitive perspective (Papageorgiou and Wells,
et al., 2008; Gilbert et al., 2005; Gollan et al., 2008; Gotlib et al., 2004), positive beliefs about the rumination benefits and
2004; Joormann and Gotlib, 2010; Koster et al., 2005; Novaco, advantages could make them last. When ruminative thoughts
2010; Rottenberg et al., 2005; Siegle et al., 2002). are activated, people perceive them as uncontrollable and harmful
Through information processing, people lead their attention to phenomena that could produce detrimental interpersonal and
positive or negative events in order to adapt the events with their social consequences. Arousal of negative thoughts and subse-
previous experiences. Because of the negative bias in information quently appraisal on rumination participate in depression. So,
processing, depressed people tend to perceive cues for sadness or through a number of vicious cycles, depression and metacognitive
dysphoria (Gotlib et al., 2004) and interpret neutral or positive beliefs may be involved in depression persistency. Mood disorders
information negatively (Gollan et al., 2008). In fact, negative bias in are characterized by another figure of negative cognition, known as
information processing is a feature of major depression (Gotlib rumination. Therefore, rumination includes negative events of past
et al., 2004; Koster et al., 2005; Siegle et al., 2002). Dysfunctional and present, and tries to regulate negative emotions; so it elicits
schemas and consequently dysfunctional attitudes lead people negative emotions.
with major depression to have failures in evaluating life events Campbell-Sills and Barlow (2007) suggested that people who
(Scher et al., 2005). On the whole, these people experience more ruminate deliberately seek negative outcomes. In contrary, active
negative and destructive emotions such as anger than nonde- mechanisms such as negative reinforcement or belief in the
pressed individuals. Obviously, simple and usual experiences of usefulness of rumination probably reinforce this cognitive model.
anger cannot explain quality and quantity of this emotion in Accordingly, rumination may be a kind of emotion regulation that
depressed people. This study showed that emotion regulation has an unpredictable effect on increasing distress over long periods
mechanisms are effective in this relationship. Confronting negative of time.
events, people use different coping strategies. These cognitive On the basis of the results of the present study, it can be
strategies have a crucial role in the relationship between concluded that anger and depression are related through the
experiencing negative life events and reporting depression and mediating role of emotion regulation and anger rumination.
anxiety symptoms. Accordingly, this knowledge would provide benefits for the
According to a self-regulatory executive functional model understanding of the relations between anger and depression,
(Wells and Matthews, 1994), failure in cognitive mechanisms of for both theoretical and clinical applications. Therefore, the proper
emotional self-regulation (a type of emotion regulation) leads assessment of anger, dysfunctions of emotion regulation, and
to emotional maladjustment and persistence in depression anger rumination in patients with major depressive disorder may
40 M.A. Besharat et al. / Asian Journal of Psychiatry 6 (2013) 35–41

provide useful information for intervention and management Bushman, B.J., 2002. Does venting anger feed or extinguish the flame? Catharsis,
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