Relationships between Approach-Avoidance Tendencies, Reflection, Rumination, and Depression

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships between approach-avoidance tendencies and depression involving two self-focus processes of reflection and rumination. The results of a path analysis suggest that an approach tendency was negatively related to depression and an avoidance tendency was positively related to depression. An approach tendency was positively related to reflection, and reflection had indirectly a positive relationship with depression through rumination. An avoidance tendency had indirectly a positive relationship with depression through rumination. The relationship between reflection and depression was not significant. These results suggest that an approach tendency might have an important role in enhancing reflection as an adaptive self-focus.View full abstract