The Mediating Role of Rumination on Parenting Style, Childhood Trauma, and Adulthood Depression

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the roles of maternal care and overprotection. We also explored how they are combined to develop rumination as well as various childhood traumas and parenting styles as the risk factors for depression. Methods: This was a retrospective study with a causal-comparative design. In total, 175 students with the ِ Mean±SD age of 21±2.75 years (age range: 18-35 years) affiliated to Alborz Medical University, Tehran University, and Kharazmi University have been selected using purposive sampling method. They completed the 2nd version of Beck Depression Inventory, Ruminative Response Scale, Parental Bonding Instrument, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed by the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), path analysis, mediation analysis, and correlation calculations, in SPSS and AMOS. Results: The mediating role of rumination in respect of parenting styles (P<0.02) and depression (P<0.001) was statistically significant. Moreover, parenting styles and childhood traumas, and their interaction may lead to the development of rumination and depression (P<0.001). The pathways of the effects were different; limited maternal care plays an indirect role in this process. This indicates that it will lead to depression and rumination only if emotional abuse is experienced in childhood. However, overprotection can directly lead to these conditions. Conclusion: Paying attention to parenting styles, childhood traumas, and their interaction to prevent rumination and depression is important. This is due to the identified direct and indirect effects of parenting behaviors.

Perceived parental warmth attenuates the link between perceived parental rejection and rumination in Chinese early adolescents: two conditional moderation models

“…Maladaptive parenting practices can account for individuals’ rumination. Studies have found that harsh parenting ( 12 , 13 ), inter-parental conflict ( 14 ), parental divorce ( 15 ), poor mother-adolescent relationship ( 5 ), parental over-protection ( 9 , 16 ), and parental demandingness ( 17 ) in childhood are positively related to rumination in early adulthood. Conversely, adaptive parenting practices can protect children from experiencing rumination and depression.…”

“…can protect children from rumination. Although valuable, these works have mainly explored the links between parenting and rumination as well as their process mechanisms by focusing on the joint effects of parenting or on the separate effects of parenting by fathers or/and mothers ( 12 ). Researchers should be aware that the parenting practices of fathers and mothers are not isolated from each other, but instead interact with each other.…”