Victimization during school years can have detrimental effects on individuals’ adjustment, lasting even into adulthood. In the current study, we examine whether there is an indirect effect of victimization on adult depression and aggression, via sad and angry rumination about past victimization. Participants included 1,319 Finnish individuals (59.5% identified as women; 97.4 native Finns) who were followed from adolescence into adulthood (Mage = 25.78, SD = 1.35). Victimization was indirectly associated with adult depression and aggression, through sad and angry ruminations, respectively. The findings suggest that intervention efforts targeting rumination could help victimized individuals avoid lasting ill effects from their experiences.

Public Significance Statement

Victimization in adolescence can have lasting implications for individuals’ mental health and well-being. The current study highlights rumination about past victimization as a key factor underlying the association between victimization during school and subsequent adjustment in adulthood.