Mediation effect of anger rumination on the relationship between dimensions of anger and anger control with mental health

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine mediation effect of anger rumination on the relationship between dimensions of anger and anger control including trait anger, state anger, anger in, anger out, anger-control in, and anger-control out with mental health in a sample of Iranian students. A total of 449 volunteer students (234 girls, 215 boys) were included in this study. All participants were asked to complete the Tehran Multidimensional Anger Scale (TMAS; Besharat, 2008), Anger Rumination Scale (ARS; Sukhodolsky, Golub, & Cromwell, 2001), and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI; Veit & Ware, 1983). Anger rumination mediated the relationship between dimensions of anger and anger control with mental health in opposite directions. Analysis of the data revealed that higher levels of anger were associated with lower levels of psychological well-being as well as higher levels of psychological distress. In contrast, higher levels of anger control were associated with higher levels of psychological well-being as well as lower levels of psychological distress. Mediation effect of anger rumination for the association of anger dimensions with mental health was full for psychological well-being and partial for psychological distress. Conversely, mediation effect of anger rumination for the association of anger control dimensions with mental health was partial for psychological well-being and full for psychological distress.