Dispositional optimism as a mediator of the effect of rumination on anxiety

Many researchers have focused on the impact of rumination and optimism on anxiety, but few have examined the trilateral relationships among these factors. In this study, we explored the mediating effect of dispositional optimism in the relationship between rumination and anxiety. Participants were 448 Chinese undergraduate students who completed a survey assessing rumination, optimism, and anxiety. The results suggested that rumination was positively correlated with anxiety and that dispositional optimism was negatively correlated with anxiety. Structural equation modeling further showed that dispositional optimism partially mediated the impact of rumination on anxiety. The bootstrapping test also revealed significant paths from rumination to anxiety through dispositional optimism. We concluded that both rumination and dispositional optimism can affect anxiety.