Metacognition and Rumination: The Serial Mediation Roles of Emotion Dysregulation and Self-Compassion

Abstract

Understanding the cognitive and emotional factors involved in the development of rumination is important both for enhancing theoretical understanding and for improving intervention programs that support mental health. Rumination, characterized by repetitive and passive focus on negative emotions and their causes, is linked to several psychopathologies, particularly depression. This study aims to examine the effect of metacognition on rumination through the serial mediating roles of emotion dysregulation and self-compassion. A sample of 392 Turkish adults (73.7% female) was recruited. Correlation analyses showed significant associations between all variables. Using Hayes’s PROCESS macro (Model 6), results demonstrated that difficulties in emotion regulation and self-compassion sequentially mediated the relationship between metacognition and rumination. These findings underscore the multifaceted nature of rumination and suggest that interventions targeting metacognitive beliefs, emotional awareness, and self-compassion may be particularly effective. Additionally, the study contributes to the literature by offering a novel, integrated model explaining how cognitive, emotional, and self-related processes interact to predict ruminative tendencies. The importance of fostering metacognitive awareness and self-kindness while enhancing emotional regulation skills is emphasized for both preventive and therapeutic mental health applications. Research implications and practical recommendations are discussed within the framework of current psychological models.

Keywords

• Metacognition
• emotion dysregulation
• self-compassion
• rumination

Üstbiliş ve Ruminasyon: Duygu Düzenleme Güçlüğü ve Öz Şefkatin Sıralı Aracılık Rolleri

Öz

Ruminasyonun gelişiminde rol oynayan bilişsel ve duygusal faktörleri anlamak hem kuramsal bilgiyi derinleştirmek hem de ruh sağlığını destekleyen müdahale programlarını iyileştirmek açısından önemlidir. Olumsuz duygulara ve bunların nedenlerine yönelik tekrarlayıcı ve pasif odaklanma ile karakterize edilen ruminasyon, özellikle depresyon olmak üzere çeşitli psikopatolojilerle ilişkilidir. Bu çalışma, üstbilişin ruminasyon üzerindeki etkisini, duygu düzenleme güçlüğü ve öz-şefkatin sıralı aracılık rolleri aracılığıyla incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma kapsamında %73,7’si kadın olmak üzere 392 Türk yetişkinden oluşan bir örneklem çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Korelasyon analizleri, tüm değişkenler arasında anlamlı ilişkiler olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Hayes’in PROCESS makrosu (Model 6) kullanılarak yapılan analizlerde, duygu düzenleme güçlüğü ve öz-şefkatin, üstbiliş ile ruminasyon arasındaki ilişkide sıralı aracı rolü bulunmuştur. Bu bulgular, ruminasyonun çok katmanlı doğasını vurgulamakta ve üstbilişsel inançlar, duygusal farkındalık ve öz-şefkati hedef alan müdahalelerin özellikle etkili olabileceğini önermektedir. Ayrıca çalışma, bilişsel, duygusal ve benlik ile ilgili süreçlerin ruminatif eğilimleri nasıl şekillendirdiğini açıklayan özgün ve bütüncül bir model sunarak literatüre katkı sağlamaktadır. Hem önleyici hem de terapötik ruh sağlığı uygulamaları açısından, üstbilişsel farkındalığın ve kendine şefkatin geliştirilmesinin yanı sıra duygu düzenleme becerilerinin güçlendirilmesinin önemi vurgulanmaktadır. Bulgular, güncel psikolojik modeller çerçevesinde tartışılmış ve pratik öneriler sunulmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Üstbiliş
• Duygu Düzenleme Güçlüğü
• Öz Şefkat
• Ruminasyon

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