RUMİNASYONUN YANSITMA VE KÖTÜMSER DÜŞÜNME BOYUTLARININ YORDAYICILARI: ÖZ-BELİRLEME KURAMI PERSPEKTİFİ

Abstract

Past research has shown that rumination is a multifaced construct and two types of rumination were distinguished, reflection (adaptive contemplation) and brooding (pessimistic thinking style). Although they are related, brooding and reflection are considered different constructs. Self-determination theory proposes that there are three basic psychological needs, namely autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which are essential for human functioning and well-being. The frustration of these needs can create a discrepancy between actual and ideal states of goal attainment (satisfaction of the needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence), which initiate rumination about unattained goals. Grounded on self-determination theory, the present study aimed to examine the link between need satisfaction and frustration and dimensions of rumination with a cross-sectional design. The data of the present study were collected during the Pandemic. Undergraduate university students (N = 464, female 69%, Mage = 21.90, SD = 2.88) from different departments of a major state university in Turkey participated in the current study. Ruminative Response Scale-Short Form and Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale were administered via an online survey tool. Results showed that while the brooding dimension of rumination was predicted by the frustration of autonomy, relatedness, and competence need, the reflection dimension was predicted by relatedness and competence frustration. Need frustration explained unique variance in brooding and reflection. Although the reflection dimension of rumination is considered adaptive, the results showed that it might be a maladaptive coping strategy under a highly controlling and uncertain environment. The findings of the present research suggest that supporting need satisfaction has critical importance in decreasing rumination.