Abstract
"Depressive rumination" has been defined as persistent, cyclic, thinking focused on negative aspects of past experiences. Although it has been found that a high tendency to ruminate relates to vulnerability to depression, recent research has reported that a low tendency to ruminate could have a buffering effect on depressive schemas, which would, in turn, lead to a decrease in depression. Little research has been conducted on age-related quantitative and qualitative changes in rumination. The purpose of the present study was to investigate age-related differences in rumination, comparing an undergraduate sample and a sample of adults in their thirties and forties, by examining participants' level of rumination and the buffering effect. The adult sample was found to show a lower tendency to ruminate than the undergraduate sample, and also showed the buffering effect. These results suggest that as individuals get older, they have a reduced tendency to ruminate, and are more likely to cope effectively with negative cognitions. Clinical implications for prevention of depression are also discussed.
