Protecting Us from Ourselves: Social Support as a Buffer of Trait and State Rumination

Abstract

Relationships among rumination, social support, and negative affect were examined using a daily process methodology. Trait rumination predicted subsequent daily rumination about daily family stress. However, findings from multilevel modeling indicated that these effects were moderated by social support. Social support also attenuated the effect of state rumination on negative affect. When those higher in support ruminated, the effect on negative affect was buffered as compared to those lower in social support. Although our findings suggest that those high in trait rumination are more likely to respond to daily stressors with increases in daily rumination, we found that this effect too was attenuated among those with higher social support. Trait rumination was more strongly predictive of daily rumination among those who reported lower social support. Implications for models of rumination are discussed within a social contextual framework.