Depression mediates the relationship between social performance impairment and hostility

The goal of this study was to test depressive symptoms as a mediator between social difficulties and hostility in young adults. Hostility is often a reaction to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors; therefore a greater understanding of contributing factors is needed, especially among emerging adults. College students (n = 608; 408 females, 200 males) self-reported on social difficulties, depression, and hostility. Via exploratory factor analyses, two latent constructs related to social difficulty were identified: social performance and social motivation. Using structural equation modeling, the direct effects found that poor social performance was significantly positively associated with BPAQ Total (beta = 44, p <.01). Social motivation was not associated with BPAQ Total = -.07, p = -.21). Further, depression scores were found to partially mediate the relationship between social performance deficits (13 = -.34. p <.01 95% CI - .05-.16), but not social motivation (beta = -.06, p > .05; 95% Cl = -.04 to .04), and overall aggression. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of negative affect and impaired emotion regulatory processes on hostility as a consequence of social performance deficits. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.