Brooding and reflection as components of rumination in late childhood

Rumination is an important vulnerability factor for depressive symptoms. Recent work in adults, adolescents and children has proposed a two-factor model, with brooding and reflection as distinct components of rumination. The present study investigates the validity of this model in children. Using a three-wave (baseline, 6- and 12-months) prospective design, associations between rumination subtypes and depressive symptoms were examined in a community sample of 138 children ages 9–13 years. Factor analysis on an extended version of the Children Response Style Questionnaire revealed brooding and reflection as distinct factors. As expected, brooding but not reflection predicted depressive symptoms concurrently. However, brooding did not predict depression prospectively after controlling for baseline symptoms. Reflection was unrelated to depressive symptoms concurrently but in separate interactions with age and sex reflection did predict depression at 1-year. Higher levels of reflection were protective among older but not younger children. Lower levels of reflection were associated with heightened depressive symptoms at 1-year among boys. These results suggest that the protective effects of reflection warrant additional study.