The Relationship of Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies with Rumination and Distraction

Abstract

Individuals high in negative mood regulation expectancies believe that a wide variety of actions has the potential to improve their negative mood. According to response expectancy theory, negative mood regulation expectancies affect mood in a nonvolitional and self-confirming manner. The present study evaluated this claim by assessing the ability of negative mood regulation expectancies to predict current depression after controlling for a variety of volitional coping responses, including rumination, distraction, active coping, and avoidant coping. 105 Introduction to Psychology college students at the University of Connecticut, 47 men and 58 women (M age = 20.3 yr., SD = 1.5), completed measures of each of the latter constructs for course credit. Results were consistent with response expectancy theory: negative mood regulation expectancies predicted current depression above and beyond coping behaviors. In addition, higher negative mood regulation expectancies were associated with greater use of adaptive coping responses. Results of this study further support the notion that effects of negative mood regulation expectancies on mood cannot be fully accounted for by intentional coping behaviors.