Abstract

This study examines (a) the extent to which self-blame mediates the effect of self-focused attention on depression and (b) the manner in which ruminative response style moderates the relationship between self-blame and depression. Three hundred and fifteen respondents aged between 19 and 43 (male=115, female=200) completed a survey measuring levels of depression, ruminative response style, self-blame, and self-focused attention. Results indicated a significant gender difference at levels of self-blame and depression. Subsequent analyses were conducted separately per each sub-sample accordingly. For male, self-blame had a full mediation effect for the relationship between self-focused attention and depression, while its effect remained relatively limited for female. Among male, ruminative response style moderated the impact of self-blame on depression. Its moderational effect, however, remained unapparent among female. Current results suggest potential gender differences in many important aspects of depression such as its duration and intensity, with making unique contribution to the depression literature. (Korean J Str Res 2015;23:225∼235)

• Keywords: Self-focused attention, Self-blame, Ruminative response style, Depression, Gender differences;