Depressive Rumination Research Articles

Rumination time and reticuloruminal temperature as possible predictors of dystocia in dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to explore changes of rumination time and reticuloruminal pH and temperature of dairy cows and heifers (means ± standard deviation; age = 5.8 ± 1.9; parity = 2.7 ± 1.4; body condition score = 3.2 ± 0.2) with eutocic (EUT, n = 10) and dystocic calving (DYS, n = 8). The recording period lasted from 3 d before calving until 7 d in milk. For the comparison of rumination time and reticuloruminal characteristics between groups, time to return to baseline (the time interval required to return to baseline from the delivery of the calf) and area under the curve (AUC; both for prepartum and postpartum periods) were calculated for each parameter. Rumination time decreased from baseline 28 h before calving both for EUT and DYS cows; after 20 h before calving, it decreased to 32.4 ± 2.3 and 13.2 ± 2.0 min/4 h between 8 and 4 h before delivery in EUT and DYS cows, respectively, and then it decreased below 10 and 5 min during the last 4 h before calving. Until 12 h after delivery, rumination time reached 42.6 ± 2.7 and 51.0 ± 3.1 min/4 h in DYS and EUT dams, respectively; however, AUC and time to return to baseline suggested lower rumination activity in DYS cows than in EUT dams for the 168-h postpartum observational period. Reticuloruminal pH decreased from baseline 56 h before calving both for EUT and DYS cows, but did not differ between groups before delivery. Reticuloruminal pH showed a decreasing tendency and clear diurnal variation after calving for both EUT and DYS cows, with slightly higher AUC values in DYS cows. In DYS cows, reticuloruminal temperature decreased from baseline 32 h before calving by 0.23 ± 0.02°C, whereas in EUT cows such a decrease was found only 20 h before delivery (0.48 ± 0.05°C). The AUC of reticuloruminal temperature calculated for the prepartum period was greater in EUT cows than in DYS cows. During the first 4 h after calving, reticuloruminal temperature decreased from 39.68 ± 0.09 to 38.96 ± 0.10°C and from 39.80 ± 0.06 to 38.81 ± 0.08°C in EUT and DYS cows, respectively, and reached baseline levels after 35.4 ± 3.4 and 37.8 ± 4.2 h after calving in EUT and DYS cows, respectively. Based on our results, continuous monitoring of changes in rumination time and reticuloruminal temperature seems to be promising in the early detection of cows with a higher risk of dystocia. Depressed rumination activity of DYS cows after calving highlights the importance of the postpartum monitoring of cows experiencing difficulties at calving. The effect of dystocia on postpartum reticuloruminal pH was not pronounced.

Rumination in migraine: Mediating effects of brooding and reflection between migraine and psychological distress

Objective: The relationship between migraine and psychological distress has been consistently reported in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. We hypothesised that a stable tendency to perseverative thoughts such as rumination would mediate the relationship between migraine and psychological distress.Design and Main Outcomes Measures: Self-report questionnaires measuring depressive rumination, current psychological distress and migraine symptoms in two independent European population cohorts, recruited from Budapest (N = 1139) and Manchester (N = 2004), were used. Structural regression analysis within structural equation modelling was applied to test the mediational role of brooding and reflection, the components of rumination, between migraine and psychological distress. Sex, age and lifetime depression were controlled for in the analysis.Results: Migraine predicted higher brooding and reflection scores, and brooding proved to be a mediator between migraine and psychological distress in both samples, while reflection mediated the relationship significantly only in the Budapest sample.Conclusions: Elevated psychological distress in migraine is partially attributed to ruminative response style. Further studies are needed to expand our findings to clinical samples and to examine how rumination links to the adjustment to migraine.

Depressive rumination and the emotional control circuit: An EEG localization and effective connectivity study.

Ruminations are repetitive thoughts associated with symptoms, causes, and consequences of one’s negative feelings. The objective of this study was to explore the neuronal basis of depressive rumination in a non-clinical population within the context of emotional control. Participants scoring high or low on the tendency to ruminate scale took part in the EEG experiment. Their EEG data were collected during a state of induced depressive ruminations and compared with positive and neutral conditions. We hypothesized that both groups would differ according to the level of activation and effective connectivity among the structures involved in the emotional control circuit. Clustering of independent components, together with effective connectivity (Directed Transfer Function), was performed using the EEG signal. The main findings involved decreased activation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and increased activation of the left temporal lobe structures in the highly ruminating group. The latter result was most pronounced during the ruminative condition. Decreased information from the left DLPFC to the left temporal lobe structures was also found, leading to the conclusion that hypoactivation of the left DLPFC and its inability to modulate the activation of the left temporal lobe structures is crucial for the ruminative tendencies.

Relationship among depression level, executive function and rumination in patients with depression

Objective To explore the relationship among depression level, executive function and rumination in patients with depression. Methods We selected 103 patients with depression. And then, we investigated them about the depression level, ecological executive function, dispositions and so on with the general condition questionnaire, behavior rating inventory of executive function-adult version (BRIEF-A), ruminative responses scale (RRS) and Beck depression rating scale (BDI-II) and analyzed the relationship among depressive emotion, executive function and rumination. Results The score of the depressive symptoms, RRS and BRIEF-A was (25.12±12.85), (48.84±15.46), (119.40±28.55). The total score of BDI-II had positive correlations with the score of all dimensions of RRS and the total score of BRIEF-A with significant differences (r=0.424, 0.603, 0.469, 0.565; P<0.01). Regression analysis showed that rumination had a partly mediating effect (accounting for 39.4% in gross effect) between executive function and depression. Conclusions Depression has positive correlations with rumination and extent of damage to executive function. Moreover, rumination has a positive correlation with the extent of damage to executive function. Besides, rumination has a partly mediating effect in the relationship between executive function and depression. Key words: Depression; Rumination; Executive function

Disentangling psychopathology, substance use and dependence: a factor analysis.

BackgroundThe notion that substance use can induce symptoms of depression and anxiety is influential in clinical practice, however questions remain about the empirical support for this hypothesis.MethodsWe analysed mental health and substance dependence screening records for 280 outpatients in addictions treatment. Item-level data for depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), severity of dependence (SDS) and self-reported weekly substance use were studied using factor analysis and correlations. Symptom-level associations between substance use and psychological distress symptoms were examined after controlling for underlying levels of psychopathology.ResultsWe obtained a two-factor solution accounting for approximately 48 % of total variance. Depression and anxiety symptoms loaded onto a single psychopathology factor. Severity of dependence (SDS) and substance use measures loaded onto a distinct but correlated factor. After controlling for latent levels of psychopathology, the only remaining symptom-level associations were impaired concentration linked to cannabis use and irritability linked to alcohol use. Dependence (SDS) was prominently associated with depressive rumination, and negatively correlated with residual anxiety symptoms related to substance use (e.g., craving).ConclusionsOverall, this analysis supports a psychological understanding of comorbidity; with dependence, craving, negative reinforcement and rumination as key variables.

The Association of Type D personality with Heart Rate Variability and Lipid Profiles Among Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Characteristics of the distressed (Type D) personality include negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI), which are associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiac events and mortality among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The aims of this study were to examine: (1) the correlation of NA and SI with psychological characteristics, heart rate variability (HRV) indices, and lipids profiles and (2) the differences in psychological characteristics, HRV indices, and lipid profiles between patients with CAD with Type D personality and those with non-Type D personality. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 168 patients with CAD. The Taiwanese 14-item Type D Scale, Chinese Hostility Inventory-Short Form, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Anger Rumination Scale were administered to all of the participants. The raw signals of electrocardiograms were recorded over a 5-min baseline resting period and then transformed to HRV indices representing short-term cardiac autonomic activations. Lipid profiles were acquired from patients' medical records. NA was positively correlated with hostility, depression, anxiety, and anger rumination. With respect to pathophysiological mechanisms for CAD with Type D personality, NA was negatively correlated with standard deviation of all normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) and total power of HRV and positively correlated with total cholesterol. SI was positively correlated with suppressive hostility behavior and anger rumination; however, SI was not significantly correlated with expressive hostility behavior, or HRV indices and lipid profiles. Pathophysiological mechanisms leading to higher rates of adverse outcomes in CAD in individuals with Type D personalities may involve cardiac autonomic imbalance and lipid dysregulation.

Does Rumination Cause “Inhibitory” Deficits?

Inhibitory processes have been implicated in depressive rumination. Inhibitory deficits may cause difficulties in disengaging from ruminative content (e.g., Joormann, 2005), or rumination may constitute a working memory load, causing deficits in inhibitory control (e.g., Hertel, 2004). These hypotheses have different implications for the treatment of depression. We conducted a systematic review of existing evidence, and conclude that most studies do not unambiguously measure inhibition. The majority of published evidence is correlational, and thus supports neither causal direction. No published experimental studies have investigated the inhibitory deficit -? rumination causal direction, and only six have investigated the rumination -? inhibitory deficit hypothesis. In two of these studies the dependent variable has low construct validity. One study reported no effect of rumination on interference, and three did not control for mood effects. There is need for carefully designed experimental research that has the potential to investigate these proposed causal mechanisms.

Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity in limbic and cognitive control networks relates to depressive rumination and mindfulness: A pilot study among adolescents with a history of depression

BackgroundResting state functional connectivity (RSFC) research among adults indicates abnormalities within and between neural networks during acute depressive episodes, some of which are likely to remain into remission. The examination of RSFC among adolescents within the remitted state of MDD may implicate markers of illness course during a critical developmental window wherein secondary prevention can be implemented. MethodsRSFC data were collected on a 3.0T GE scanner from adolescents (12–18, M=15.61, SD=1.90; 57% female) in full or partial remission from MDD (rMDD; n=23) and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC; n=10). RSFC data were examined using seed-based connectivity of the left amygdala, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). These seeds were chosen to probe the emotional salience, cognitive control, and default mode networks, respectively. ResultsrMDD adolescents demonstrated relative hyperconnectivity from the left amygdala to the right PCC, as well as from the left dlPFC to the right middle frontal and left inferior frontal gyri (MFG, IFG). Amygdala to PCC connectivity was correlated with greater rumination, dlPFC to MFG connectivity was positively associated with depression severity, and dlPFC to IFG connectivity was inversely associated with mindfulness. ConclusionsAberrant functional connectivity within and between neural networks responsible for salience attribution, introspective thought, and executive control can be observed among adolescents in the remitted phase of MDD and is associated with residual clinical symptoms. These patterns may confer risk for future relapse or alternatively, support wellness.

Assessing Repetitive Negative Thinking Using Categorical and Transdiagnostic Approaches: A Comparison and Validation of Three Polish Language Adaptations of Self-Report Questionnaires.

Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a transdiagnostic process involved in the risk, maintenance, and relapse of serious conditions including mood disorders, anxiety, eating disorders, and addictions. Processing mode theory provides a theoretical model to assess, research, and treat RNT using a transdiagnostic approach. Clinical researchers also often employ categorical approaches to RNT, including a focus on depressive rumination or worry, for similar purposes. Three widely used self-report questionnaires have been developed to assess these related constructs: the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ), and the Mini-Cambridge Exeter Repetitive Thought Scale (Mini-CERTS). Yet these scales have not previously been used in conjunction, despite useful theoretical distinctions only available in Mini-CERTS. The present validation of the methods in a Polish speaking population provides psychometric parameters estimates that contribute to current efforts to increase reliable replication of theoretical outcomes. Moreover, the following study aims to present particular characteristics and a comparison of the three methods. Although there has been some exploration of a categorical approach, the comparison of transdiagnostic methods is still lacking. These methods are particularly relevant for developing and evaluating theoretically based interventions like concreteness training, an emerging field of increasing interest, which can be used to address the maladaptive processing mode in RNT that can lead to depression and other disorders. Furthermore, the translation of these measures enables the examination of possible cross-cultural structural differences that may lead to important theoretical progress in the measurement and classification of RNT. The results support the theoretical hypothesis. As expected, the dimensions of brooding, general repetitive negative thinking, as well as abstract analytical thinking, can all be classified as unconstructive repetitive thinking. The particular characteristics of each scale and potential practical applications in clinical and research are discussed.

The correspondence of changes in depressive rumination and worry to weekly variations in affective symptoms: A test of the tripartite model of anxiety and depression in women

ObjectiveAs negative repetitive thought forms, depressive rumination and worry have been most closely examined in the contexts of depression and anxiety, respectively. However, recent research suggests that rumination and worry are transdiagnostic processes that are similarly related to both disorders. As the higher rates of depression and anxiety in women are largely attributable to negative repetitive thought, it is important to examine how rumination and worry influence symptoms of these disorders within women across time. The present study first sought to evaluate the specificity of depressive rumination and worry in their correspondence to shared and unique symptoms of depression and anxiety. Second, we delineated the temporal relationships between affective symptoms and repetitive thoughts.MethodIn a study of 67 women, weekly ratings of general distress, anxious arousal, anhedonic depression, worry, and rumination were collected over 5 weeks.ResultsAnalyses revealed that both rumination and worry were independently related to concurrent general distress (shared feature of depression and anxiety), but not anxious arousal or anhedonia (unique symptoms). Further, a positive feedback loop was observed involving depressive rumination—and its brooding component—predicting greater general distress the following week, and vice versa.ConclusionThese findings indicate that depressive rumination and worry do not distinguish between depression and anxiety disorders, and that both forms of negative repetitive thoughts are related to shared features of depression and anxiety. However, given the cyclical relationship between rumination and distress symptoms, rumination may be a more corrosive cognitive process in women.

Predictive Importance of Antenatal Depressive Rumination and Worrying for Maternal–Foetal Attachment and Maternal Well-Being

Rumination and worrying are relevant to the onset and maintenance of depression and anxiety. Yet, it is unclear, whether depressive rumination and worrying are predictive for depressive and anxious symptomatology during pregnancy. Likewise, the potential role of depressive rumination and worrying for maternal–foetal attachment has been rarely explored. In the present longitudinal study, N = 215 pregnant women were assessed within the first 4 months of pregnancy and again in the last 4 months of pregnancy. Using regression analysis, associations between worrying and depressive rumination on the one hand and maternal–foetal attachment, depression and anxiety on the other were studied—controlling for age, number of children, social support and baseline antenatal depressive and anxious symptoms. Baseline rumination was a significant predictor of impairments in maternal–foetal attachment in later pregnancy. Baseline worrying was a significant predictor of heightened depressive symptoms and anxiety. These effects were of modest magnitude. Nonetheless, our findings reveal that different types of perseverative thinking (i.e., rumination vs. worry) might have differential effects on maternal well-being and maternal–foetal attachment.

Rumination and behavioural factors in Parkinson's disease depression

ObjectiveParkinson's disease is associated with high rates of depression. There is growing interest in non-pharmacological management including psychological approaches such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. To date, little research has investigated whether processes that underpin cognitive models of depression, on which such treatment is based, apply in patients with Parkinson's disease. The study aimed to investigate the contribution of core psychological factors to the presence and degree of depressive symptoms. Methods104 participants completed questionnaires measuring mood, motor disability and core psychological variables, including maladaptive assumptions, rumination, cognitive-behavioural avoidance, illness representations and cognitive-behavioural responses to symptoms. ResultsRegression analyses revealed that a small number of psychological factors accounted for the majority of depression variance, over and above that explained by overall disability. Participants reporting high levels of rumination, avoidance and symptom focusing experienced more severe depressive symptoms. In contrast, pervasive negative dysfunctional beliefs did not independently contribute to depression variance. ConclusionSpecific cognitive (rumination and symptom focusing) and behavioural (avoidance) processes may be key psychological markers of depression in Parkinson's disease and therefore offer important targets for tailored psychological interventions.

The cognitive neural mechanism of depressive rumination

The cognitive neural mechanism of depressive rumination

Emotional variables, dropout and academic performance in Spanish nursing students

The dropout of university studies is a main concern in many countries, also for Health Sciences degrees. The reviews on dropout in all university degrees as well as nursing generally show multidimensional causes with factors related both to institutional and students' characteristics. Regarding the personal variables of students, researchers have focused on financial, family and personality features. Far less attention has been devoted to emotional variables. This study aims to explore whether individual variables of the emotional domain such as perceived emotional intelligence, dispositional optimism/pessimism and depressive rumination are related and/or can predict students' intention to dropout and academic performance. Using a cross-correlational approach, data were obtained from a sample of 144 nursing students. Students with a pessimistic disposition revealed a greater tendency to drop out. The remaining variables correlated significantly with pessimism but had no predictive value on dropout. Our results suggest that students with low levels of emotional clarity and repair and high depressive rumination have pessimistic expectations, so they are more likely to leave studies. No significant results were found in relation to academic performance. We conclude with an identification of strategies to increase retention and academic success.

Angry rumination as a mediator of the relationship between ability emotional intelligence and various types of aggression

Ability emotional intelligence (AEI) has been negatively associated with aggressive behavior. There is, however, no evidence about the associations between AEI and indirect aggression or angry rumination, although several studies have reported that people with low AEI tend to use depressive rumination as an emotional regulation strategy. The purposes of this study were to provide preliminary evidence on the relationships between AEI and angry rumination and between AEI and indirect aggression, and to examine the role of angry rumination as a mediator of the relationship between AEI and different types of aggression (physical, verbal and indirect aggression). We used a cross-sectional design; 243 undergraduate students completed questionnaires assessing the variables of interest. The results provided evidence for negative associations between AEI and both angry rumination and indirect aggression. Analysis also indicated that angry rumination was a significant mediator of the relationship between AEI and all three types of aggression. These findings are discussed in the light of aggression models and their practical implications for work on prevention or treatment of aggressive behavior are considered.

The therapeutic potential of working memory training for treating mental disorders.

The therapeutic potential of working memory training for treating mental disorders.

The Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire in Patients with Persecutory Delusions.

Ruminative negative thinking has typically been considered as a factor maintaining common emotional disorders and has recently been shown to maintain persecutory delusions in psychosis. The Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) (Ehring et al., 2011) is a transdiagnostic measure of ruminative negative thinking that shows promise as a "content-free" measure of ruminative negative thinking. The PTQ has not previously been studied in a psychosis patient group. In this study we report for the first time on the psychometric properties of Ehring et al.'s PTQ in such a group. The PTQ was completed by 142 patients with current persecutory delusions and 273 non-clinical participants. Participants also completed measures of worry and paranoia. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the clinical group's PTQ responses to assess the factor structure of the measure. Differences between groups were used to assess criterion reliability. A three lower-order factor structure of the PTQ (core characteristics of ruminative negative thinking, perceived unproductiveness, and capturing mental capacity) was replicated in the clinical sample. Patients with persecutory delusions were shown to experience significantly higher levels of ruminative negative thinking on the PTQ than the general population sample. The PTQ demonstrated high internal reliability. This study did not include test-retest data, and did not compare the PTQ against a measure of depressive rumination but, nevertheless, lends support for the validity of the PTQ as a measure of negative ruminative thinking in patients with psychosis.

Mindfulness facets distinctively predict depressive symptoms after two years: The mediating role of rumination

Despite promising theory and numerous intervention studies, longitudinal explorations of the protective properties of mindful disposition with respect to psychopathology are still scarce. The present study tested the theorized protective role of mindfulness facets with respect to depressive symptoms and rumination over time in a non-clinical sample (N=41; 22 females; age=24.4 (4.8), range=19–40years). The longitudinal design involved two assessment time points, with a span of almost 2years (mean=20.7 (2.8), range=16–27months). At both time points participants completed questionnaires assessing trait mindfulness (FFMQ), trait rumination (RRS), and depressive symptoms (CES-D). Results documented the prospective protective function of nonjudge (a non-evaluative stance toward thoughts and feelings) at Time 1, above and beyond the other four facets with respect to depressive symptoms and rumination at Time 2. Depressive rumination fully mediated the impact of nonjudge at Time 1 on depressive symptoms at Time 2. Findings suggest that non-judging skills play a critical role in the improved wellbeing associated with mindfulness training.

Testing a “content meets process” model of depression vulnerability and rumination: Exploring the moderating role of set-shifting deficits

Background and objectivesMacCoon and Newman's (2006) “content meets process” model posits that deficits in cognitive control make it difficult to disengage from negative cognitions caused by a negative cognitive style (NCS). The present study examined if the interactive effect of cognitive set-shifting abilities and NCS predicts rumination and past history of depression. MethodsParticipants were 90 previously depressed individuals and 95 never depressed individuals. We administered three laboratory tasks that assess set-shifting: the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Task, the Emotional Card-Sorting Task, and the Internal Switch Task, and self-report measures of NCS and rumination. ResultsShifting ability in the context of emotional distractors moderated the association between NCS and depressive rumination. Although previously depressed individuals had more NCS and higher trait rumination relative to never depressed individuals, shifting ability did not moderate the association between NCS and depression history. LimitationsThe cross-sectional correlational design cannot address the causal direction of effects. It is also not clear whether findings will generalize beyond college students. ConclusionsNCS was elevated in previously depressed individuals consistent with its theoretical role as trait vulnerability to the disorder. Furthermore, NCS may be particularly likely to trigger rumination among individuals with poor capacity for cognitive control in the context of emotional distraction.

Is self-positive information more appealing than money? Individual differences in positivity bias according to depressive symptoms

ABSTRACTThe self-positivity bias, which is inherent to healthy people, is known to be blunted in depression. The lack of positive or excessive negative self-reference is considered to be a potential mechanism underlying depressive rumination. However, the motivational factors that drive people to approach and avoid emotional self-related materials are still unclear. Therefore, we measured intrinsic motivation that is associated with emotional self-references by using a reward-based decision-making task (pay-per-view paradigm). Forty-nine undergraduates completed two tasks in which they were asked to choose between negative vs. positive references (Task 1) and self vs. other references (Task 2) for variable monetary rewards. Participants with lower levels of depressive symptoms showed a self-positivity bias, sacrificing rewards for the opportunity to engage in positive self-reference, whereas those with higher levels of depressive symptoms had no specific preference for either negative or positive self-reference (Task 1). However, all participants sacrificed monetary rewards for the opportunity for self-reference versus other reference, regardless of the symptom level or the primed valence (Task 2). Together, these findings suggest that depressive cognition could be characterised by the lack of intrinsic motivation for positive self-reference, which is attributable to the biased valence selection, but not to self–other preferences.