Distinguishing between ruminative and distractive responses in dysphoric college students: does indication of past depression make a difference?

In this study, a model of affectivity as a mediator of the influence of ruminative and distractive response styles (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991) on depressive symptoms and life satisfaction is proposed and examined among a self-reported group of never-depressed (n=78) and previously-depressed college students (n=66). As predicted, significant differences were found between the two groups on measures of negative affectivity, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. Results of conducting path analyses indicated important differences between the two groups in how affectivity mediated the link between response styles and psychological adjustment. For never-depressed students, positive affectivity was found to mediate the link between distraction and psychological adjustment. For previously-depressed students, the link between rumination and depressive symptoms was found to be fully mediated by negative affectivity, whereas the link between distraction and life satisfaction was found to be fully mediated by positive affectivity. The present findings are discussed in terms of response style theory.