The Mediating Role of Rumination in the Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and the Severity of Major Depressive Disorder
Psychiatry Investigation, cilt.23, sa.2, ss.242-248, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 23 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.30773/pi.2025.0377
- Dergi Adı: Psychiatry Investigation
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, EMBASE
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.242-248
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Childhood trauma, Depression, Mediation, Rumination
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objective It is widely accepted that childhood traumas increase the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adulthood and con-tribute to the chronicity of the disorder. Various mediating factors are believed to exist in the relationship between childhood trauma and depression. The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating effect of rumination in the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and MDD in a clinical sample. Methods The sample of this cross-sectional study comprised 94 patients aged 18–65 diagnosed with MDD at the Gülhane Training and Research Hospital Psychiatry Clinic, along with 91 healthy participants. After collecting sociodemographic data, participants com-pleted the Beck Depression Inventory, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-33, and Rumination Scale. Data were analyzed using appropri-ate statistical methods. Results The analyses indicated that rumination may serve a mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms. Specifically, rumination was predicted by childhood trauma (standardized coefficient=0.44, p<0.001) and served as a predictor of depression (standardized coefficient=0.56, p<0.001). The basic model indicated a significant direct effect between childhood trauma and depression severity (p=0.01, b=0.50), while the mediating model demonstrated both a direct effect (p=0.011, b=0.24) and an indirect effect through rumination (p=0.003, b=0.25). Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that childhood traumatic experiences may be associated with depression severity, and rumination appears to play a mediating role in this relationship. This highlights the need to address cognitive features and traumatic experiences in developing effective prevention and intervention strategies for depression.