Gender Differences in Rumination among Chinese Adolescents with Subthreshold Depression

Distraction response style, neuroticism, and parental conflict have been linked to rumination in adolescents with subthreshold depression. However, whether these associations differ by gender remains unclear.

This study examined gender-stratified associations of distraction response style, neuroticism, and parental conflict with rumination among Chinese adolescents with subthreshold depression. Data were collected from 370 adolescents with subthreshold depression using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Response Style Questionnaire (RSQ), the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale (CPICS), and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI).

Overall, 28.11% (n = 104) of adolescents with subthreshold depression were classified into the rumination group, with a higher proportion of females than males (33.83% vs. 21.08%). Gender-stratified logistic regression analyses showed that distraction response style and neuroticism were associated with rumination in both males and females. Parental conflict was associated with rumination among males but not females in the stratified analyses; however, the pooled gender × parental conflict interaction was not statistically significant (p = 0.347).

Distraction response style and neuroticism were associated with rumination across both gender groups. Parental conflict may be relevant to rumination among males, but the present data did not support a statistically significant moderating effect of gender. These findings highlight the potential relevance of coping tendencies, trait neuroticism, and family context in understanding rumination among adolescents with subthreshold depression.