Socialized to Ruminate? Gender Role Mediates the Sex Difference in Rumination for Interpersonal Events

The marked sex difference in depression has been explained in part by the sex difference in rumination. However, we know little about why females are more likely than males to ruminate. One explanation is that greater feminine gender role identification may be associated with a greater tendency to ruminate. In Part 1 of this study, we examined gender role as a mediator of the sex difference in trait rumination for domain-specific stressors among 136 older adolescents (ages 14 to 20; 40% male). Although females were more likely than males to ruminate about all types of stressors, we found that femininity accounted for the sex difference in trait rumination about interpersonal, Coefficient = .09, 95% CI (.01, .21), R2 = .16, but not achievement stressors Coefficient = .02, 95% CI (−.04, .14), R2 = .10. In Part 2 of the study, we prospectively followed 107 of the initial 136 participants to track state rumination about specific interpersonal and achievement stressors. Using a weekly diary design, participants reported their stressors and rumination about those stressors each week for 8 consecutive weeks. Despite no significant differences in state rumination by sex prospectively, data supported the cross-sectional findings. Femininity continued to form a significant path between biological sex and state rumination for interpersonal (Coefficient = .10, 95% CI = .01, .27, R2 = .18), but not achievement stressors (Coefficient = .08, 95% CI = −.06, .32, R2 = .02) over the 8-week period. Results suggest that the feminine gender role plays an important role in understanding rumination, and may be a better predictor of who ruminates than is biological sex.