The effect of co-rumination on self-compassion: Exploring adolescent gender as a moderator

Authors' Affiliations

Maggie Harris, B.A., Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.

Location

D.P. Culp Center Ballroom

Start Date

4-5-2024 9:00 AM

End Date

4-5-2024 11:30 AM

Poster Number

12

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Rachel Miller-Slough

Faculty Sponsor's Department

Psychology

Classification of First Author

Undergraduate Student

Competition Type

Non-Competitive

Type

Poster Presentation

Presentation Category

Social Sciences

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Co-rumination, defined as circular conversations about problems and negative emotions between two people, can lead to high-quality friendships but negative emotional symptoms. Research indicates that co-rumination is more common among adolescent girls than boys, and it may serve as a mechanism contributing to the onset of depression in girls. Self-compassion is another construct relevant to mental health, defined as an overall positive self-attitude consisting of components like self-kindness, humanity, and mindfulness. High levels of self-compassion can counter harsh self-judgment, narcissism, isolation, and other negative internal effects. Previous literature has found a negative relationship between rumination and self-compassion, but little research has been conducted on the relationship between co-rumination and self-compassion. The present study aimed to determine if co-rumination with friends related to self-compassion in adolescents, and if adolescent gender moderated this link. It was hypothesized that more co-rumination would relate to less self-compassion and that this relation would be stronger in girls than boys. The data was gathered from an online survey of adolescent well-being conducted in 2021. Participants consisted of 162 adolescents from a national sample, ages 13-17 (Mage = 14.56, SD = 1.34; 33.7% female; 73.5% European American). Adolescents reported on their self-compassion and co-rumination, using the 12-item Self Compassion Scale-Youth and the 27-item Co-Rumination Questionnaire. Preliminary analyses examined if self-compassion and co-rumination differed by gender. Co-rumination differed significantly by gender (t(163) = -2.569, p = .011), with girls displaying higher levels of co-rumination than boys, consistent with prior research. However, self-compassion did not differ by gender, t(88.84) = 1.546, p = .126). Next, a linear moderated regression was conducted, regressing self-compassion on co-rumination and examining gender as a moderator. There were no main effects of co-rumination or gender on self-compassion, and the interaction of co-rumination and gender on self-compassion was also not significant. These results suggest that although girls may display higher levels of co-rumination than boys, co-rumination does not relate to self-compassion. It is possible that rumination was associated with decreased self-compassion because it is an individual and internal process, whereas co-rumination happens externally in the context of a relationship and thus may not impact an individual’s self-compassion. Future research may wish to explore different approaches to measuring co-rumination and self-compassion, such as observational studies or experimental research, to study how co-rumination and self-compassion present in different experimental environments.

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Apr 5th, 9:00 AM Apr 5th, 11:30 AM

The effect of co-rumination on self-compassion: Exploring adolescent gender as a moderator

D.P. Culp Center Ballroom

Co-rumination, defined as circular conversations about problems and negative emotions between two people, can lead to high-quality friendships but negative emotional symptoms. Research indicates that co-rumination is more common among adolescent girls than boys, and it may serve as a mechanism contributing to the onset of depression in girls. Self-compassion is another construct relevant to mental health, defined as an overall positive self-attitude consisting of components like self-kindness, humanity, and mindfulness. High levels of self-compassion can counter harsh self-judgment, narcissism, isolation, and other negative internal effects. Previous literature has found a negative relationship between rumination and self-compassion, but little research has been conducted on the relationship between co-rumination and self-compassion. The present study aimed to determine if co-rumination with friends related to self-compassion in adolescents, and if adolescent gender moderated this link. It was hypothesized that more co-rumination would relate to less self-compassion and that this relation would be stronger in girls than boys. The data was gathered from an online survey of adolescent well-being conducted in 2021. Participants consisted of 162 adolescents from a national sample, ages 13-17 (Mage = 14.56, SD = 1.34; 33.7% female; 73.5% European American). Adolescents reported on their self-compassion and co-rumination, using the 12-item Self Compassion Scale-Youth and the 27-item Co-Rumination Questionnaire. Preliminary analyses examined if self-compassion and co-rumination differed by gender. Co-rumination differed significantly by gender (t(163) = -2.569, p = .011), with girls displaying higher levels of co-rumination than boys, consistent with prior research. However, self-compassion did not differ by gender, t(88.84) = 1.546, p = .126). Next, a linear moderated regression was conducted, regressing self-compassion on co-rumination and examining gender as a moderator. There were no main effects of co-rumination or gender on self-compassion, and the interaction of co-rumination and gender on self-compassion was also not significant. These results suggest that although girls may display higher levels of co-rumination than boys, co-rumination does not relate to self-compassion. It is possible that rumination was associated with decreased self-compassion because it is an individual and internal process, whereas co-rumination happens externally in the context of a relationship and thus may not impact an individual’s self-compassion. Future research may wish to explore different approaches to measuring co-rumination and self-compassion, such as observational studies or experimental research, to study how co-rumination and self-compassion present in different experimental environments.