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

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.

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.

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.

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.