Higher Anger Rumination Predicted Increased Introjected Regulation and Negative Exercise Perceptions Zachary M Shankle, Emma L Creech, & Michael M Knepp University of Mount Union INTRODUCTION MEASURES RESULTS Research on anger and aggression and their respective relationships with health can be considered a branch from early work with Type A personality work (Friedman & Rosenman, 1971). Anger rumination is the dwelling on something that has angered a person, and it causes an increase in aggression (Denson, 2008). Physical activity can be a way to reduce stress, which can then reduce aggression (Emimi & Bond, 2014). Animal research also supported the belief that exercise decreased aggression. Hoffman, Thoren, and Ely (1987) found that rats that exercised showed less aggression while exercising. When they were unable to exercise, however, they showed more aggression than the control. Anger Rumination Scale: The anger rumination scale was developed as a measure of focusing attention on angry moods, recalling previous experiences and thinking about causes and consequences of anger (Sukhodolsky, Golub, & Cromwell, 2001). Brief Anger-Aggression Questionnaire: The Brief Anger-Aggression Questionnaire is a six-item measure created to use as a screener for rapid identification of anger and aggression levels in violence-prone men (Maiuro, Vitaliano, & Cahn, 1987). Decisional Balance Scale: The Decisional Balance Scale explores both perceived pros (health and non-health related) and cons related to fruits and vegetable eating (Ling & Horwath, 2001). Self-Perception in Exercise Questionnaire: This 24-item scale examined the use of self-referent thoughts related to health-oriented exercise (Sorensen, 1997). Exercise Orientation Questionnaire: This study used the 27-item version of the Exercise Orientation Questionnaire which had previously been used to measure attitudes and behaviors related to exercise (Yates, Edman, Crago, Crowell, & Zimmerman, 1999). Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire: Four scales of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire were used in this study: external regulation; introjected regulation; identified regulation; and intrinsic regulation (Wilson, Sabiston, Mack, & Blanchard, 2012). Hemispheric Assessments Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT): Subject had to list words starting with the letters ‘F’, ‘A’, and ‘S.’ They were given one minute for each letter. Five-Point Test: The Five-Point Test is a figural fluency test consisting of 5-dot matrices where participants attempt to create unique figures (Regard, Strauss, & Knapp, 1982). Anger rumination significantly predicted lower scores on the Self-Perception in Exercise Questionnaire (R2 = .04, F (1, 118) = 4.35, p < .05). Anger rumination scores significantly predicted scores on the introjected regulation subscale (R2 = .13, F (1, 118) = 17.5, p < .001). All four subscales were predictive on introjected regulation as well: Angry Afterthoughts (R2 = .11, p < .001) Thoughts of Revenge: (R2 = .05, p < .02) Angry Memories: (R2 = .03, p < .05) Understanding of Causes: (R2 = .16, p < .001) Of the other subscale relationships, increased thoughts of revenge resulted in higher external regulation (R2 = .04, F (1, 118) = 4.85, p < .05). HYPOTHESES H1: Anger-aggression and anger rumination would result in increased introjected and external regulations related to exercise H2: Higher anger rumination should report negative self-perception in exercise H3: Higher anger-aggression and anger rumination would report less than optimal diet selections H4: Higher anger-aggression and anger rumination scores would relate to increased verbal fluency and no impact on design fluency CONCLUSIONS Students with anger issues, be it higher aggression or increased rumination, are more likely to exercise for negative reasons. In that way, they are driven by guilt and shame when not exercising. At the same time, they are reporting a desire to exercise solo so that others do not judge them. From the self-perceptions scores, these ruminating students also feel they are not effective with their exercise abilities. Neither Anger rumination nor the anger-aggression total score predicted factors related to diet. This included a lack of a relationship between what these students eat as part of their diets or their reasons for eating healthy. Students who were higher in anger rumination produced more unique words on the COWAT test. PARTICIPANTS One hundred twenty total subjects 90 women Mean age: 19.24, SD=1.15 Mean BMI: 24.61, SD=5.16 Correspondence to: kneppm@mountunion.edu Presented at the 87th Eastern Psychological Association Conference, New York, NY, March 3-5