Rumination Mediates the Relation of Hostile Attribution to Psychological Maladjustment Among Adolescents from Three...

Addressing global concerns about youth mental health requires understanding longitudinal pathways to psychological maladjustment among diverse youth. Hostile attribution bias (HAB) and hostile rumination (HR) are cognitive vulnerabilities associated with multiple forms of psychological maladjustment among diverse youth. This study longitudinally examined whether HR mediates the relation of HAB to aggression, anxiety, and depression symptoms in a sample of adolescents from three countries. Participants included 532 mothers, 384 fathers, and 566 youth (50% female) from Colombia, Italy (Naples and Rome), and the U.S. (White, Black, and Latinx). Structural equation modeling indicated that youth-reported HR at Time 2 (mean age = 12.58 years) significantly mediated the relation of youth-reported HAB at Time 1 (mean age = 10.89 years) to parent-reported aggression and anxiety symptoms at Time 3 (mean age = 13.71 years; aggression: b = 0.05, 95% bootstrap CI = [0.006, 0.14]; anxiety: b = 0.06, 95% bootstrap CI = [0.01, 0.16]); but not to parent-reported depression symptoms at Time 3 (b = 0.02, 95% bootstrap CI = [-0.04, 0.08]). A reverse model indicated HAB at Time 3 significantly mediated the relation of HR at Time 2 to anxiety symptoms at Time 4 (mean age = 14.99 years; b = -0.01, 95% bootstrap CI = [-0.04, -0.001]), but not to aggression or depression symptoms at Time 4. Multi-group analyses indicated focal mediational paths did not vary significantly across national, regional, and racial subgroups or gender. Findings support the Integrative Cognitive Model of Aggression, providing evidence that HAB and HR may be vulnerability factors for aggression and anxiety among diverse youth.