Rumination after 65: does its association with depression and gender change with age?

Context: It is well documented that, in adults, women are more prone to ruminate than men, and rumination and depression are robustly correlated. However, very little is known about how these links evolve as aging. The age-related cognitive and identity evolutions deeply modify the elderly’s overall functioning, legitimizing this issue. Method: Sixty-four participants were recruited by seniors’ networks. The participants had to be over 65 years old, without cognitive impairment or chronic pain. The experiment included the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), to assess the presence and severity of depression, and the Mini-CERTS, which evaluates the frequency of both analytic and experiential repetitive thoughts. The Mental Alternation Test (MAT) was used as a preliminary test to help ensure that participants did not have cognitive impairment. Participants were contacted over the phone. A structured interview and a MAT test were used to assess the inclusion criteria. If the participant matched the required profile, the GDS and the mini-CERTS were administered in random order. Results: Results show a negative correlation between frequency of constructive repetitive thoughts and depression (r = -.49; p <.001) and a positive correlation between frequency of rumination and depression (r = .40; p <.001). No significant difference was shown regarding gender and frequency of ruminations (p> .05). Discussion: These results validate the maintenance of the links between repetitive thinking and depression during aging, but not the difference between men and women. These findings encourage the use of rumination-focused therapies in the treatment of depression in the elderly.