COLUMBIA, Mo., July 16 Friendships that lend themselves to ruminating about problems may actually contribute to emotional difficulties in girls, found a U.S. study.
The study, published in the journal Developmental Psychology, found that girls are more likely than boys of the same age group to develop anxiety and depression as a result of extensive conversations with friends about their problems.
Co-rumination, or excessively talking with another person about problems, including rehashing them and dwelling on the negative feelings associated with them, is thought to have both costs and benefits for people experiencing unpleasant situations, said lead author Amanda J. Rose, of the University of Missouri, Columbia.
The six-month longitudinal study involved 813 third-, fifth-, seventh- and ninth-grade girls and boys.
For girls, co-rumination predicted increased positive friendship quality, including feelings of closeness between friends. However, the study also found that girls who co-ruminate had increased depressive and anxiety symptoms, which in turn, contributed to greater co-rumination.
For boys, co-rumination predicted only greater positive friendship quality and not increased depression and anxiety.
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