درونیسازی نشانه ها و نشخوار فکری: پیش بینی آینده نگر از تجربیات قربانی شدن خانوادگی و همکار عاطفی طی دوران جوانی

Adolescence is marked by increases in stressful life events. Although research has demonstrated that depressed individuals generate stress, few studies investigate the generation of emotional victimization. The current study examined the effects of rumination and internalizing symptoms on experiences of peer victimization and familial emotional abuse. Participants were 216 adolescents (M = 14-years-old; 58% female; 47% African–American) who completed two assessments. Results showed that rumination predicted peer victimization and emotional abuse. The effect of rumination on emotional victimization is heightened for those who have higher levels of depression symptoms. That is, individuals who ruminate and who have depression symptoms experience increases in both peer emotional victimization and parental emotional abuse. This study builds upon prior research and indicates that rumination may be a stronger predictor of emotional victimization than symptoms of depression or anxiety. Identifying underlying mechanisms may yield targets for interventions aimed at addressing the chronic nature of depression.

Adolescence is a pivotal developmental period during which events that threaten or damage self-esteem or self-worth, such as emotional victimization by parents or peers, may be particularly detrimental (e.g. Gibb et al., 2004 and Hanley and Gibb, 2011). Relational peer victimization, characterized by direct or indirect aggression intended to harm a peer's relationships or reputation, is a form of emotional maltreatment by peers, that has received considerable attention as a risk factor for depression and anxiety among adolescents (Hamilton et al., 2013, La Greca and Harrison, 2005, Prinstein et al., 2001 and Siegel et al., 2009). Familial emotional abuse, defined as verbal assaults on self-worth by a parent or caretaker, also has consistently been found to contribute to psychological maladjustment among youth (Gibb and Abela, 2008, Gibb and Alloy, 2006 and Hamilton et al., 2013). Given the debilitating consequences associated with relational peer victimization and familial emotional abuse, identifying factors that contribute to the occurrence of these damaging interpersonal stressors can enhance our understanding of who is at risk for victimization and future maladaptive outcomes. This is the goal of the current study.