Co-ruminating increases stress hormone levels in women.
Same-sex friendships are an important source of social support and typically contribute to positive adjustment. However, there can be adjustment trade-offs if the friends co-ruminate (i.e., talk excessively about problems) in that co-rumination is related to having close friendships but also to increased internalizing symptoms. The current study utilized an experimental manipulation that elicited co-rumination in young women and thus mirrored an everyday response to stress. Observed co-rumination was associated with a significant increase in the stress hormone, cortisol (after controlling for self-reported co-rumination and for cortisol levels assessed before the discussion of problems). These findings suggest that co-rumination can amplify, rather than mitigate, the hormonal stress response to personal life stressors.
Byrd-Craven
Jennifer
J
University of Missouri-Columbia, USA. jennifer.byrd.craven@okstate.edu
Geary
David C
DC
Rose
Amanda J
AJ
Ponzi
Davide
D
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*
D006854:Hydrocortisone