Exploring the longitudinal relationship between anger rumination and peer victimization when controlling for sadness rumination

Abstract Anger rumination is an unconstructive cognitive-emotion regulation strategy that bears negative adjustment outcomes in youth. mostly examined as outcome of prior peer victimization. Unidirectional links between maladaptive anger and later difficulties have also been reported. Surprisingly, whether victimization are mutually related reinforcing poorly explored. The present study tested reciprocal associations 367 5th graders ( M age = 10.53, SE 0.16; 54.2% girls). To increase precision findings sadness was treated a confounder. Self-reported data were obtained at two times, spaced 1 year. Cross-lagged analyses showed predicted increases but not vice versa, after controlling for rumination. Victimized boys found to be more risk endorsing over time compared victimized girls. Directions future research implications practice discussed.