Anger rumination partly accounts for the association between trait self-control and aggression

Abstract

Higher trait self-control is related to less aggression, but the psychological processes underlying this association are largely unknown. This research tested the hypothesis that reduced anger rumination in high self-control individuals may partly account for this association. In seven cross-sectional, longitudinal and daily diary studies (total N = 2689) people high in trait self-control reported less aggression of different types and this relation was partially mediated by less rumination about anger-evoking events. An internal meta-analysis estimated this indirect effect to be of medium size. These findings suggest that a lower propensity to engage in anger rumination may be a crucial working process partly explaining how high trait self-control translates into less aggression. Overcoming anger rumination is a promising avenue to reduce aggression.