Rumination Linked to Depression in Adolescents – EMJ

RUMINATION and depression show a significant correlation in adolescents, a new meta-analysis has found.¹

Findings suggested that rumination may play a key role in adolescent mental health.

Depression

An estimated 5.7% of adults suffer from depression, with more women affected than men.²

It involves a depressed mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for prolonged periods of time.

Rumination

Rumination can be understood as the exhausting mental loop of repetitive, intrusive negative thinking.

Research suggests this arises partly from a disturbance in the coupling between the posterior cingulate cortex, a region involved in internal self-referential thinking, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is linked to external goal-directed behaviour, according to the ATR Brain Information Communication Research Laboratory Group.

Rumination has also been previously identified as a vulnerability factor for anxiety.³

Prior research has also found a moderate positive association between rumination and rejection sensitivity.

Researchers have stressed the value of such findings in informing prevention efforts for reducing psychological vulnerability.

Analysing the Relationship Between Rumination and Depression

Researchers analysed a total of 29 studies, which involved more than 24,000 adolescents.¹

They found a significant correlation between rumination and depression, of 0.61.

The link was stronger among middle school students, female-dominated samples, European studies, developed countries, and research published before 2015.

Studies with larger sample sizes also showed a stronger correlation.

Researchers highlighted the role of this key evidence in shaping effective prevention and intervention strategies.

This, they reported could help to address depression in adolescents, noting that they are a vulnerable population.

References

¹ Tao S et al. Meta-analysis of the correlation between rumination and depression among adolescents. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2026;64(7):11–17.

² World Health Organization. Depressive disorder. 2025. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression. Last accessed: 8 July 2026.

³ Stewart LC, Sorid SD, Olino TM. Rumination and rejection sensitivity: a meta-analysis. J Clin Psychol. 2026;82(7):1016 – 1029.

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