When thinking hurts: Attachment, rumination, and post-relationship adjustment Colleen Saffrey BA ...

141 Pages·2007·1.77 MB·English

When thinking hurts: Attachment, rumination, and post-relationship adjustment
Colleen Saffrey
B.A., Simon Fraser University, 2001
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
in the Department of Psychology
O Colleen Saffrey, 2005
University of Victoria
All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy
or other means, without the permission of the author.
. .
Rumination and Adjustment
11
Supervisor: Dr. Marion F. Ehrenberg
ABSTRACT
The current study used an attachment framework to explore the association between
rumination and adjustment in individuals who experienced a recent relationship break up.
Two hundred and thirty-one young adults who were involved in a romantic relationship
that (1) was of 3 months duration or longer, and (2) ended in the last 12 months,
participated in the study. Rumination was assessed at both an individual differences level
(general tendencies to ruminate) as well as at a relationship-specific level (tendencies to
ruminate about the former relationship). Rumination at the individual differences level
included brooding, global regret, and reflection, and rumination at the relationship-
specific level included relationship preoccupation and romantic regret. At the individual
differences level, results indicated that higher levels of brooding and global regret were
associated with more negative adjustment and less positive adjustment. The findings for
reflection, a potentially more healthful form of rumination, differed across two measures.
In one case, reflection was associated with more negative adjustment and in the other
case reflection was associated with more positive adjustment. At the relationship-specific
level, both relationship preoccupation and relationship regret were associated with more
negative adjustment and less positive adjustment. The previously established link
between high attachment anxiety and poor adjustment was replicated in the current study.
Mediation models tested at both the general and relationship-specific levels indicated that
the association between attachment anxiety and adjustment was largely mediated by
rumination. A variety of relationship demographic variables were included, and results
. . .
Rumination and Adjustment
111
revealed that not having closure on the relationship, hoping to reunite, and not wanting
the relationship to end were most strongly associated with negative adjustment and
relationship rumination. An in-depth content analysis of the romantic regrets revealed
that young adults primarily reported romantic regrets concerning personal attributes and
emotional involvement/openness. The origins of a ruminative response style and
treatment approaches for reducing ruminative thought are discussed.
Supervisor: Dr. M. F. Ehrenberg, (Department of Psychology)
Rumination and Adjustment iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE.. ....................................................................................... .i
. .
ABSTRACT.. ........................................................................................i.i
TABLE OF CONTENTS.. .......................................................................... iv
...
LIST OF TABLES.. ..............................................................................v.i ii
LIST OF FIGURES.. ................................................................................ ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.. .......................................................................x
DEDICATION. ....................................................................................... xi
INTRODUCTION.. ...................................................................................1..
Understanding Relationship Dissolution.. ............................................... 1
The Developmental Course of Relationships. ............................................3
Attachment Theory. ....................................................................... ..5
Attachment and Relationship Dissolution.. ..............................................7
Attachment and Coping Styles.. ...........................................................8
Attachment and Post-Dissolution Distress. ............................................... 8
. .
Rumination.. ................................................................................ lo
Bereavement and Rumination.. ......................................................... .12
Relationship Break ups and Rumination.. .............................................. 13
. .
Assessing Rumination. ...................................................................- 14
Regrets.. ..................................................................................... 15
Regret as a Component of Rumination.. ................................................ 18
Regrets and Relationship Dissolution.. ................................................ .19
Current Study and Hypotheses.. ..........................................................2 0
Rumination and Adjustment v
METHOD ..........................................................................................-.2 6
Sample .......................................................................................2..6.
. .
Participant Recruitment ..................................................................2.7
Participants ...............................................................................-.2 7
Procedure .................................................................................-..2 8
Measures ...................................................................................- 28
General Attachment ..............................................................2. 8
Romantic Attachment ............................................................3 0
General Rumination Measures ...................................................3 1
Relationship-Specific Rumination Measures ..................................3. 4
General Adjustment ...............................................................3 5
Relationship-Specific Adjustment .............................................. 37
Relationship Demographics ...................................................... 37
In-Depth Regret Approach .....................................................3. 8
RESULTS ............................................................................................ 39
Overview ...................................................................................- 39
Descriptive Statistics .......................................................................4 0
Relationship Demographics .......................................................4 0
Individual Differences and Relationship-Specific Variables ................4 2
Hypotheses .................................................................................. 44
Attachment and Adjustment .....................................................4 4
Individual Differences Rumination and Adjustment .........................4 6
Relationship-specific Rumination and Adjustment ...........................4 7
Rumination and Adjustment vi
Attachment and Rumination .....................................................4 7
Reflection and Adjustment-Curvilinear Association .......................4 8
Mediation Models ........................................................................4..9
Sex Differences in Mediation Models ..........................................6 1
Relationship Demographics, Adjustment, and Rumination .........................6. 2
In Depth Regret Analysis ................................................................6.4
Regret Type and Attachment Anxiety .........................................6. 4
Structure of Romantic Regrets .................................................6. 6
Thematic Content of Romantic Regrets .......................................6 6
DISCUSSION ......................................................................................7.0
Overview ..................................................................................-. 70
Interpretative Context .....................................................................7 1
Findings Related to the Hypotheses ......................................................7 2
Attachment and Adjustment ....................................................7. 2
General Rumination and Adjustment ...........................................7 2
Relationship-specific Rumination and Adjustment ...........................7 4
Attachment and Rumination .....................................................7 5
Reflection and Adjustment-Curvilinear Association .......................7 6
Young adulthood: The role of developmental phase .........................7 6
Mediation Models ................................................................. 78
Relationship Demographics, Adjustment, and Rumination .................8 0
In-depth Regret Analysis .........................................................8 1
Rumination: Origins and Treatment .....................................................8 3
Rumination and Adjustment vii
Why do people ruminate? .......................................................8. 3
The Developmental Origins of Rumination ...................................8. 4
Coping with Rumination: Distraction Techniques ...........................8 4
Treatment Approaches ...........................................................8. 6
Rumination about the Future ...................................................8. 9
Strengths and Limitations ................................................................9. 1
Future Research Directions ...............................................................9 3
Concluding Comments .......................................................................9 5
REFERENCES ..................................................................................... -97
APPENDICES ....................................................................................- 106
...
Rumination and Adjustment vii~
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Means of Relationship Demographic Variables ......................................4 1
Table 2: Means of Individual Differences and Relationship-Specific Variables ..........4 3
Table 3: Intercorrelations among Individual Differences Variables .........................4 5
Table 4: Intercorrelations among Relationship-Specific Variables ...........................4 6
Table 5: Curvilinear Analysis of Reflection and Adjustment .................................4 9
Table 6: Intercorrelations among Relationship Demographics. Adjustment. and
. .
Rumination ..........................................................................................- 64
Table 7: Primary Domain in which individuals report experiencing the majority of their
regrets ................................................................................................. 65
Table 8: Structure of Romantic Regrets ........................................................6. 6
Table 9: Descriptions of Romantic Regret Themes ............................................. 67
Table 10: Frequency of regrets across the 10 categories .......................................7 0
Table 11 : Intercorrelations among Individual Differences and Relationship-specific
Variables ........................................................................................... 130
Rumination and Adjustment ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Model of the mediating role of General Rumination (measured by General
Rumination Scale and Global Regret Scale) in the association between Attachment
General Anxiety and General Adjustment.. .
Figure 2: Model of the mediating role of General Rumination (measured by Rumination
Responses Scale and Global Regret Scale) in the association between General
Attachment Anxiety and General Adjustment.. .................................................2 4
Figure 3: Model of the mediating role of Relationship Rumination (measured by
Relationship Preoccupation Scale and Relationship Regret Scale) in the association
between Romantic Attachment Anxiety and Post-Relationship Adjustment.. ............. 25
Figure 4: Results for mediating role of General Rumination (measured by General
Rumination Scale and Global Regret Scale) in the association between Attachment
General Anxiety and General Adjustment. ...................................................... 53
Figure 5: Results for mediating role of General Rumination (measured by Rumination
Responses Scale and Global Regret Scale) in the association between General
Attachment Anxiety and General Adjustment.. .................................................5 6
Figure 6: Results for mediating role of Relationship Rumination (measured by
Relationship Preoccupation Scale and Relationship Regret Scale) in the association
between Romantic Attachment Anxiety and Post-Relationship Adjustment.. ............. 59
Rumination and Adjustment x
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Marion Ehrenberg, for her thoughtful input,
careful reading, and willingness to return draft versions at blinding speed! I would also
like to thank my committee members, Dr. Catherine Costigan and Dr. Elizabeth
Brimacombe, whose helpful ideas improved my MA on a variety of levels. I also extend
thanks Dr. Geoffrey Hett, my external examiner, for his willingness to join the
committee. To my participants, I thank you for your openness in sharing your thoughts
and experiences regarding a recent relationship breakupwithout you this project would
not have been possible.
To my friends and family, thanks for always being there. To Scott, your patience,
kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity make all my days easier and better. Thank you
for being you. KFY gb.