An examination of the relationships among emotion management, interpersonal hassles, and depressive symptomatology

Abstract

This study extended previous research by testing three models predicting depressive symptoms from emotion management (EM) and interpersonal hassles in a sample with a wide range of depression scores. Adults (n=218) from sources including a depression internet site completed measures of interpersonal hassles, depression, and three aspects of EM (attention to, clarity of, and repair of emotions). Regression analyses supported a model in which lower clarity and repair scores and greater frequency of interpersonal hassles each contributed directly to depression scores. While lower attention to emotions was associated with fewer interpersonal hassles, it did not correlate significantly with depression scores. Moderation analyses did not support a model of EM components acting on depression by buffering effects of interpersonal hassles. A model of depression and hassles predicting EM difficulties was also considered; when both hassles and depression scores were entered to predict EM, only depressive symptoms uniquely predicted clarity and repair. © 2011 The Australian Psychological Society.