The psychosocial context of depressive rumination: ruminative brooding predicts diminished relationship satisfaction in individuals with a history of past major depression.

Journal article

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that rumination contributes to poor social functioning by examining whether ruminative brooding predicts subsequent relationship satisfaction in individuals with a history of major depression. METHOD: Participants (N=57) were interviewed to assess depressive symptoms and completed self-report measures of brooding and relationship satisfaction, at intake into the study (Time 1) and 3 months later (Time 2). RESULTS: Brooding was related concurrently to relationship satisfaction at Time 2 (p<.01; approaching significance at Time 1, p=.06). Baseline brooding predicted diminished relationship satisfaction 3 months later, controlling for baseline relationship satisfaction (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Brooding may be an early warning sign for increasing relationship difficulties in those vulnerable to depression.

Authors: Pearson, K; Watkins, E; Kuyken, W; Mullan, E

• Journal: British journal of clinical psychology / the British Psychological Society
• Volume: 49
• Issue: Pt 2
• Pages: 275-280
• Publication date: 2010-06-01
• DOI: 10.1348/014466509x480553
• ISSN: 0144-6657
• Language: English
• Keywords: Middle Aged; Depression; Female; Depressive Disorder, Major; Interpersonal Relations; Recurrence; Psychology; Personal Satisfaction; Memory; Follow-Up Studies; Semantics; Humans; Male; Prospective Studies