Cross-Cultural Validity of the Ruminative Responses Scale in Argentina and the United States
Abstract
Although frequently used in the United States, the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) has not been extensively studied in cross-cultural samples. The present study evaluated the factor structure of Treynor et al.’s 10-item version of the RRS in samples from Argentina (N = 308) and the United States (N = 371). In addition to testing measurement invariance between the countries, we evaluated whether the maladaptive implications of rumination were weaker for the Argentinians than for the U.S. group. Self-critical perfectionism was the criterion in those tests. Partial scalar invariance supported an 8-item version of the RRS. There were no differences in factor means or factor correlations in RRS dimensions between countries. Brooding and Reflection were positively correlated with self-critical perfectionism in both countries, with no significant differences in the sizes of these relations between the two samples. Results are discussed in terms of psychometric and cross-cultural implications for rumination.
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Appendices
| Items | 21-Item versiona (71-item versionb) | Description [Spanish translation] | Dimension |
|---|---|---|---|
| RR01 | RR05 (RR14) | Think “What am I doing to deserve this?” [Pensás “¿Qué hice para merecer esto?”] | Brooding |
| RR02 | RR07 (RR18) | Analyze recent events to try to understand why you are depressed [Analizás acontecimientos recientes para tratar de entender por qué estás deprimido/a] | Reflection |
| RR03 | RR10 (RR22) | Think “Why do I always react this way?” [Pensás “¿Por qué siempre reacciono de esta manera?”] | Brooding |
| RR04 | RR11 (RR25) | Go away by yourself and think about why you feel this way [Te aislás y pensás sobre por qué te sentís de esa manera] | Reflection |
| RR05 | RR12 (RR28) | Write down what you are thinking and analyze it [Escribís lo que estás pensando y lo analizás] | Reflection |
| RR06 | RR13 (RR30) | Think about a recent situation, wishing it had gone better [Pensás sobre una situación reciente, deseando que hubiera salido mejor] | Brooding |
| RR07 | RR15 (RR40) | Think “Why do I have problems other people don’t have?” [Pensás “¿Por qué tengo problemas que otras personas no tienen?”] | Brooding |
| RR08 | RR16 (RR42) | Think “Why can’t I handle things better?” [Pensás “¿Por qué no puedo manejar mejor las cosas?”] | Brooding |
| RR09 | RR20 (RR53) | Analyze your personality to try to understand why you are depressed [Analizás tu personalidad para tratar de entender por qué estás deprimido/a] | Reflection |
| RR10 | RR21 (RR56) | Go someplace alone to think about your feelings [Te vas a algún lugar a solas para pensar en tus sentimientos] | Reflection |
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Article first published online: September 1, 2017
Issue published: March 2020
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PubMed: 28863718
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