COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RUMINATION LEVELS IN MEN AND WOMEN: INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF MINDFULNESS

Abstract

Rumination is defined as passive, recurring thoughts that centre on the reasons behind and consequences of one's grief. Multiple detrimental impacts on the mind and body are linked to ruminating. People's psyches can get disrupted by repetitive thought patterns in response to stimuli. Rumination is often linked to females as well and it is observed that mindfulness decreases rumination levels in individuals. The present study was aimed at assessing two things. Firstly, it aimed at studying the levels of rumination across males and females, and secondly, it aimed to study the relationship between mindfulness and rumination. The sample consisted of 150 participants (N=150) (F=75, M=75) aged 18-35 years. The sample was selected through a combination of simple random sampling and convenience sampling. Standardized scales were used to assess the two hypotheses. The results revealed that there is no significant gender disparity in the levels of rumination with p=.75 (p>0.05) despite slight variations in mean scores with, females (30.84) and males (30.24). The results further discovered that mindfulness and rumination have a significant negative correlation with (r= - .428), supporting the notion that mindfulness interventions can help alleviate psychological distress by reducing rumination. These findings underscore the importance of mindfulness in promoting mental well-being and suggest avenues for future research to explore nuances in gender differences and the efficacy of mindfulness interventions.