Graduation Semester and Year
2017
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Lauri A Jensen-Campbell
Abstract
Co-rumination, the constant focus upon and rehashing of negative issues within a dyad, is a maladaptive coping mechanism associated with both positive and negative outcomes, including increased friendship quality and depression. There may also be linkages between co-rumination and poor health over time; furthermore, these consequences may be exacerbated by the presence of a stressor, particularly one of an interpersonal nature. One such stressor is peer victimization, which peaks in adolescence and has been associated with a host of negative consequences, especially when it is of a social nature. The current dissertation consists of two separate studies, one cross-sectional and one longitudinal. The first examined the direct effects of co-rumination, as well as the moderating role of peer victimization, on health, behavioral, and interpersonal outcomes in 139 adolescents (Mage 13.37). After controlling for possible related factors, it was found that co-rumination was directly related to lower rates of loneliness and higher rates of PTSD symptoms; there also a link to support from the best friend. Additionally, adolescents who co-ruminated and were victimized reported more frequent and severe somatic complaints, while victimized girls who co-ruminated engaged in aggressive acts; results were only found for overall and social, but not physical, victimization. The second study looked at the effects of co-rumination over a two- to three-year period, in a different sample of 95 adolescents (Time 1 Mage = 12.88, Time 2 Mage = 15.64). Findings indicated co-rumination at Time 1 was linked to increases in anxiety, depression, and loneliness at Time 2. Moreover, there was a bidirectional relationship between co-rumination and neuroticism, as well as frequent and severe physical health problems. This study is the first of its kind to not only examine how peer victimization specifically moderates the effects of co-rumination, but to also find a reciprocal link between co-rumination, personality, and health over time.
Keywords
Co-rumination, Peer victimization
Disciplines
Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Guarneri-White, Maria Elizabeth, "Making a Bad Situation Worse: Co-rumination and Peer Victimization in Two Adolescent Samples" (2017). Psychology Dissertations. 123.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/psychology_dissertations/123
Comments
Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington