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

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.