Depression mediates the relationship between social performance impairment and hostility. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Waldron, Jonathan C.; Scarpa, Angela; Lorenzi, Jill; White, Susan W.
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 85(2015)
• Page Start: 165
• Page End: 171
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: Hostility -- Anger -- Aggression -- Social difficulty -- Depression; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2015.05.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Highlights: Examined depressive symptoms as a mediator between social difficulties & hostility. Social performance & social motivation were identified as latent constructs. Using SEM, poor social performance was positively associated with BPAQ Total. Social motivation was not associated with BPAQ Total. Depression mediated social performance deficits & aggression, not social motivation. Abstract: The goal of this study was to test depressive symptoms as a mediator between social difficulties and hostility in young adults. Hostility is often a reaction to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors; therefore a greater understanding of contributing factors is needed, especially among emerging adults. College students ( n = 608; 408 females, 200 males) self-reported on social difficulties, depression, and hostility. Via exploratory factor analyses, two latent constructs related to social difficulty were identified: social performance and social motivation. Using structural equation modeling, the direct effects found that poor social performance was significantly positively associated with BPAQ Total ( β = .44, p < .01). Social motivation was not associated with BPAQ Total ( β = −.07, p = .21). Further, depression scores were found to partially mediate the relationship between social performance deficits ( β = .34, p < .01; 95% CI = .05–.16), but not social motivation ( β = −.06, p > .05; 95% CI = −.04 to .04), and overall aggression. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of negative affect and impaired emotion regulatory processes on hostility as a consequence of social performance deficits.