Do dispositional rumination and/or mindfulness moderate the relationship between life hassles and psychological dysfunction in adolescents?
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the moderating effects of dispositional rumination and mindfulness on the relationship between recent life hassles and adolescent mental health (operationalized as symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress).


METHODS
Data collected from a sample of 317 Australian high school students comprised an inventory of recent life hassles, measures of dispositional rumination and dispositional mindfulness and an assessment of current symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.


RESULTS
An increased incidence of recent life hassles was reliably associated with increased depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress. However, moderation analyses revealed that dispositional rumination exacerbated the relationship between life hassles and symptoms of depression and anxiety, whereas dispositional mindfulness attenuated the relationship between life hassles and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions to increase dispositional mindfulness in childhood are proposed as a method of protecting the psychological well-being of adolescents confronted by inevitable everyday life stress.
Marks
Anthony D G
AD
School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. tony.marks@une.edu.au
Sobanski
Donna J
DJ
Hine
Donald W
DW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult