Development and Validation of a Novel Partner Rumination Scale
Abstract
Depression and relationship distress are highly related, but the precise nature of this relationship is unclear (Whisman et al., 2021). Rumination is associated with both outcomes (Marroquin & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2015; Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 2008), and further exploration of the construct in an interpersonal context may help elucidate the link between depression and relationship distress. This thesis focuses on the development and validation of a novel measure that assesses the proclivity to ruminate about a romantic partner. Exploratory factor analyses of the Partner Rumination Scale (PRS) yielded a one-factor model that was supported via confirmatory factor analysis, and then cross-validated in an independent sample. The PRS showed excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Evidence of convergent and discriminant validity was demonstrated through correlations with several existing measures of rumination, an index of depressive symptom severity, and numerous instruments that assess relationship-related constructs. Results also supported the incremental validity of the PRS over two existing measures of rumination in a representative sample of individuals with previous depression (IPD). This study is the first to link partner rumination to depression, and the findings support the use of the PRS in both mood and relationship-specific contexts.