Prerequisite for problem talk and co-rumination among adolescents

For many, adolescence is a tumultuous stage characterized by a slew of developmental changes that impact them not only physically but also psychologically and socially. Luckily, most do not have to face this challenging period alone, but have trusted friends with whom they can discuss and tackle their problems. However, adolescents may be more likely to confide in some friends as problem-talk partners than others, and some problem-talk strategies (e.g., co-rumination) may not be a benefit to the mental well-being of the adolescent. Despite the importance of peer support, it is not well known what the prerequisites are for adolescents’ friendships involving problem-talk, or what predicts the emergence of co-rumination among problem-talk partners, which has been linked to elevated internalizing problems (Rose, 2002; 2021) and involves excessive problem-talk and dwelling on negative feelings. Most studies which focused on problem-talk or co-rumination have used self-report measures that ask about adolescents’ (unidentified) best friend, which does not account for adolescents’ having multiple problem-talk partners nor provide information about factors that predict whether or not an adolescent shares their problems with a given friend or when problem-talk partners are more likely to engage in co-rumination. The aim of the current study is to fill in these gaps and provide more nuanced understanding of when adolescent friendships may involve problem-talk and in what relational contexts these problem-talk relationships risk devolving into co-rumination. To this end, the study will examine nomination data from over five hundred Finnish adolescents using two sets of mixed effect models. The first set will focus on how friendship quality, friendship satisfaction and gender are associated with problem-talk nominations within student friendships. The second set will focus on how friendship quality, the internalizing of problems among the adolescents involved, and their respective tendencies to ruminate are associated with the prevalence of co-rumination within problem-talk relationships.