Repetitive Negative Thinking in University Students with Specific Learning Disorder: Does Gender Matter?

To date, the literature on repetitive negative thinking (RNT), rumination and worry, in students with Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is still scant. This study seeks to deeply examine those variables in university students with and without SLD, focusing on the differences between males and females.

A survey was administered to 107 university students between 18 and 31 years (mean age=21,56; SD=2,60). Of these, 65 were typically developing (TD) and 42 had a diagnosis of SLD. Participants responded to the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) and the Penn-State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). Anxious and depressive symptoms were also assessed.

Significant differences were found between university students with and without SLD on all the scales except for PSWQ. Regression analyses reported that rumination significantly affected depression and anxiety whereas worry seemed to have a role only in anxiety. Finally, female students with SLD showed higher levels of internalizing symptoms among all the subjects.

The results give psychologists a greater understanding of RNT in university students with SLD, suggesting the importance of including those psychological processes in the clinical assessment.