Longitudinal associations between ostracism, anger rumination, and social aggression

Although numerous studies have demonstrated the ostracism-aggression link, the potent mechanisms of the relationship remain largely unexplored. Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM) and the Script Theory framework, we propose that anger rumination (AR) may mediate the relationship between ostracism and social aggression. Moreover, the relationship between ostracism and anger rumination may be mutual. The present study used a longitudinal design to examine the relationships among ostracism, AR, and SA in 940 college students. The questionnaires were completed on two occasions with a 6-months interval. A cross-lagged analysis revealed that social ostracism at time 1 (T1) predicted subsequent AR and SA at time 2 (T2), AR (T1) predicted ostracism and SA 6 months later. Moreover, AR (T2) mediated the association between ostracism (T1) and SA (T2). These findings deepen our understanding of the link between ostracism and SA and expand and support the General Aggressive Model and Script Theory.