The Relationship between stress and negative emotion: The Mediating role of rumination

Using ambulatory assessment, the current study investigated the dynamic impact of stress on negative emotions in daily life and explored the mediating role of rumination in this relationship. A total of 100 college students were recruited and reported their perceived stress, current ruminative thinking and negative emotions (including anxiety, depression, and anger) 5 times a day for 7 consecutive days. Mixed model analyses indicated that the higher level of stress at the current time predicted increased negative emotions at the next time including depression, anger and anxiety. At within-person level, rumination significantly mediated the relationship of stress to depression, anger, and anxiety. At between-person level, overall rumination significantly mediated the relationship between stress and angry. Findings suggested that people who perceived higher level stress may report more rumination, which in turn may lead to increases in negative emotions.