Self-control skills and negative emotional state: a focus on hostility

The self-control theory of psychopathology has contributed to the understanding and treatment of unipolar depression. This paper explores the relationship between self-control skills as measured by the Frequency of Self-reinforcement Questionnaire and other negative emotional states, with a focus on hostility. In Study 1, scores on the Brief Symptom Inventory were inversely related to self-control skills among a sample of 53 college students, suggesting potential generalizability of the theory. In Study 2, self-control skills were inversely related to hostility, anger, and aggression among a sample of 68 college students. The role of self-control skills in the regulation of hostility deserves further investigation.