Early family context and development of adolescent ruminative style: Moderation by temperament

Abstract

We know very little about the development of rumination, the tendency to passively brood about negative feelings. Because rumination is a risk factor for many forms of psychopathology, especially depression, such knowledge could prove important for preventing negative mental health outcomes in youth. This study examined developmental origins of rumination in a longitudinal sample (N=337; 51% girls) studied in preschool (ages 3½ and 4½ years) and early adolescence (ages 13 and 15 years). Results indicated that family context and child temperament, assessed during the preschool period, were risk factors for a ruminative style in adolescence. Specifically, early family contexts characterised by over-controlling parenting and a family style of negative-submissive expressivity predicted higher levels of later rumination. These associations were moderated by children's temperamental characteristics of negative affect and effortful control. Further, the interaction of these temperament factors exerted an additional influence on later rumination. Implications for prevention and intervention efforts are discussed.

Keywords:

• Rumination
• Temperament
• Family environment
• Risk factors
• Adolescence

Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by National Institute of Mental Health grants R01-MH044340, P50-MH052354, P50-MH069315, P50-MH084051, and T32-MH018931 and by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Psychopathology and Development.

The authors thank the study participants who so generously committed their time to the project over the years and the dedicated staff of the Wisconsin Study of Families and Work.

Notes

¹When depression symptoms were included in the model, there was a significant effect (β=0.32, p<.001). Significant main effects remained for the two family context measures; and the interaction effects remained the same, with two minor differences (negative-submissive family expressivity×negative affect, p=.11; negative affect × effortful control, p=.03).