Intrusive Rumination Research Articles

The impact of somatic symptoms on kinesiophobia after esophagectomy among cancer patients: the mediating roles of intrusive rumination and avoidant coping.

Kinesiophobia refers to an irrational fear of physical activities or functional exercise due to the fear of pain or reinjury. Cancer patients who undergo esophagectomy are prone to developing kinesiophobia, which adversely affects their disease prognosis and quality of life. Somatic symptoms are closely related to kinesiophobia, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the chain-mediation roles of intrusive rumination and avoidant coping in the relationship between somatic symptoms and kinesiophobia in cancer patients who underwent esophagectomy. A cross-sectional study was conducted in China from February 2023 to December 2023. A total of 279 postesophagectomy cancer patients were evaluated using the Symptom Check List 90 (SCL-90), Event Related Rumination Inventory (ERRI), Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-11). Kinesiophobia was significantly positively correlated with somatic symptoms, intrusive rumination, and avoidant coping (p < 0.001). Somatic symptoms had a direct association with kinesiophobia (β = 0.280, 95% CI (0.200, 0.360), p < 0.001). Furthermore, our model showed that somatic symptoms had a significant indirect association with kinesiophobia through the separate mediating effects of intrusive rumination (β = 0.204, 95% CI (0.145, 0.267), p < 0.001) and avoidant coping (β = 0.049, 95% CI (0.019, 0.088), p < 0.001), as well as through the chain-mediated effects of intrusive rumination-avoidant coping (β = 0.026, 95% CI (0.012, 0.044), p < 0.001). The findings of this study suggested that intrusive rumination and avoidant coping play separate and chain-mediated roles in the relationship between somatic symptoms and kinesiophobia in postesophagectomy cancer patients.

Cognitive processing, resilience, and family functioning as contributors to posttraumatic growth in family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Objectives The present study examined the existence of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and its association with cognitive processing, resilience, and family functioning in family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Method Family caregivers (N = 114) were surveyed using measures of cognitive processing, resilience, family functioning, and PTG. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression analyses. Results The average PTG score in the sample was 48.6 (SD = 18.7; range 14–105). Race, education level, severity of the patient’s AD, cognitive processing, resilience, and family functioning explained 25.8% of the variance in PTG (F [9, 95] = 5.025, p < 0.001). Race was significantly correlated with PTG; specifically, non-White caregivers reported higher PTG than White caregivers (p < 0.05). When controlling for race and education level, mild AD, intrusive rumination, and family satisfaction were significant predictors of PTG (p < 0.05). However, deliberate rumination, resilience, and family communication were not significant predictors PTG (p > 0.05). Conclusion These findings provide insight into factors that may influence the development of PTG in family caregivers of patients with AD. Results may inform intervention strategies to mitigate the negative consequences of caregiving and promote PTG in this caregiver population.

The role of rumination and metamemory beliefs in posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress

The risk of developing posttraumatic stress symptoms following exposure to traumatic events is well documented, however, emerging research also lends support to the potential development of growth in some people. Rumination and memory have been identified as important factors in post-trauma outcomes, yet, current research in this area is limited, particularly in the context of a multidimensional view of rumination (i.e., intrusive and deliberate rumination) and metamemory beliefs. This study explored the association between rumination styles, beliefs about memory, and posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic growth. Participants (N = 151) who experienced a traumatic event completed relevant measures online. Path analysis showed that intrusive rumination was significantly related to higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms (β = 0.19, p < 0.01), while deliberate rumination was related to higher levels of both posttraumatic growth (β = .52, p < 0.001) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (β = 0.15, p < 0.05). Additionally, negative beliefs about memory were significantly related to higher posttraumatic stress symptoms (β = 0.48, p < 0.001). No significant associations were found for positive beliefs about memory. The findings suggest that rumination may be understood as multidimensional, incorporating both adaptive and maladaptive processes. Further, the present study contributes to the limited literature concerning metamemory beliefs and may provide an increased understanding of factors contributing to stress or growth.

The Relationship Between Intrusive Rumination and Post-Traumatic Growth among University Students with Experience of Interpersonal Trauma: Focusing on the Moderated Mediation Effects of Self-Compassion and Gratitude through Deliberate Rumination

The Relationship Between Intrusive Rumination and Post-Traumatic Growth among University Students with Experience of Interpersonal Trauma: Focusing on the Moderated Mediation Effects of Self-Compassion and Gratitude through Deliberate Rumination

The effect of earthquake exposure on PTSD symptoms is mediated by intrusive rumination and moderated by gender: a cross-sectional study on the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake survivors

BackgroundEvidence suggests that natural disasters, such as earthquakes, can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with women being particularly vulnerable. However, there is a dearth of knowledge about the underlying mechanisms linking traumatic experiences to PTSD as well as gender differences in the operation of these mechanisms. This study examined the mediating effect of intrusive rumination and the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between earthquake exposure level and PTSD symptoms.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted 12 months after the devastating earthquake in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. The sample included 632 adult survivors of the earthquake, including 374 females (59.2%) and 258 males (40.8%). Participants completed a set of questionnaires assessing their demographic information, level of earthquake exposure, intrusive rumination, and PTSD symptoms. Correlation analysis, mediation analysis, and conditional process analysis were employed to evaluate the research hypotheses.ResultsFindings revealed significant associations between the level of earthquake exposure, intrusive rumination and PTSD symptoms. The level of earthquake exposure significantly predicted PTSD symptoms. Moreover, intrusive rumination partially mediated the relationship between earthquake exposure level and PTSD symptoms. Additionally, the mediating effect of intrusive rumination was more pronounced among females than males.ConclusionThis study revealed the significant mediating role of intrusive rumination in the development of post-earthquake PTSD symptoms. By uncovering gender differences in this mechanism, it also emphasized the importance of designing interventions that are sensitive to the varying needs of different demographic groups affected by the disaster in post-disaster mental health interventions.

Intracranial Directed Connectivity Links Subregions of the Prefrontal Cortex to Major Depression.

Understanding the neural basis of major depressive disorder (MDD) is vital to guiding neuromodulatory treatments. The available evidence supports the hypothesis that MDD is fundamentally a disease of cortical disinhibition, where breakdowns of inhibitory neural systems lead to diminished emotion regulation and intrusive ruminations. Recent research also points towards network changes in the brain, especially within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), as primary sources of MDD etiology. However, due to limitations in spatiotemporal resolution and clinical opportunities for intracranial recordings, this hypothesis has not been directly tested. We recorded intracranial EEG from the dorsolateral (dlPFC), orbitofrontal (OFC), and anterior cingulate cortices (ACC) in neurosurgical patients with MDD. We measured daily fluctuations in self-reported depression severity alongside directed connectivity between these PFC subregions. We focused primarily on delta oscillations (1-3 Hz), which have been linked to GABAergic inhibitory control and intracortical communication. Depression symptoms worsened when connectivity within the left vs. right PFC became imbalanced. In the left hemisphere, all directed connectivity towards the ACC, from the dlPFC and OFC, was positively correlated with depression severity. In the right hemisphere, directed connectivity between the OFC and dlPFC increased with depression severity as well. This is the first evidence that delta oscillations flowing between prefrontal subregions transiently increase intensity when people are experiencing more negative mood. These findings support the overarching hypothesis that MDD worsens with prefrontal disinhibition.

Individual Differences in Self-Enhancement in Terms of One’s Personality Traits: Relationships with Ruminations and Regulatory Focus

While personality researchers have shown interest in studying self-enhancement, they have not extensively focused on its relationships with distinct cognitive and motivational variables. This exploratory study aims to investigate whether overestimating one’s personality traits is related to a lower level of ruminations, a higher promotion regulatory focus, and a lower prevention focus. Promotion regulatory focus involves self-regulation based on one’s striving for an ideal-self, as opposed to an ought-self, which is typical of a prevention regulatory focus. Self-enhancement occurs when the level of self-rated personality traits exceeds that of informant-rated personality traits. The Five-Factor personality traits were considered: emotional stability, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Certain hypotheses found empirical support. Self-enhancement in different traits were linked to different cognitive and motivational variables. Primarily, an overly positive self-view of one’s emotional stability was accompanied by a lower level of intrusive rumination, a higher level of promotion focus, and a lower prevention focus. The self-enhancement in extraversion was related to a higher level of promotion focus and a lower level of intrusive ruminations while self-enhancement in conscientiousness was linked to a higher promotion focus. Methodological issues and hypothesis formulation were further discussed.

The Quality of Interpersonal Relationships, Intrusive and Deliberate Rumination and Adjustment to the Death of a Spouse.

The aim of the presented study was to gain a better understanding of relationships between the pre-loss quality of marriage, global attachment style, rumination, the severity of complicated grief and the level of posttraumatic growth among widowed individuals. After the researchers obtained the consent of the ethics board to conduct the study, they examined widowed individuals (n = 152) using the Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Event Related Rumination Inventory, the Inventory of Complicated Grief, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Results show a positive relationship between attachment anxiety and complicated grief via intrusive rumination, as well as a positive relationship between attachment anxiety and posttraumatic growth via intrusive and deliberate rumination. Results also show that the greater the attachment avoidance the higher the severity of complicated grief, but only in the case of perceived low quality of the marriage. The presented research provides insight into the complex associations between the quality of interpersonal relationships, rumination and adjustment to loss among individuals who experienced the death of a spouse.

The Event-Related Rumination Inventory: How Does Scale Validity Change with Time Instructions?

Two types of rumination following a traumatic event can be identified: intrusive and deliberate rumination. Intrusive rumination is defined as a series of intrusive and undesired thoughts, whereas deliberate rumination is characterized by voluntary repetitive thoughts that help make sense of the experience. The Event-Related Rumination Inventory (ERRI) is an instrument capable of assessing both types of rumination. This study aimed to define the best modality of administration for the ERRI, by comparing the two original time frame instructions (immediate vs recent) and examining its psychometric properties in an Italian sample. To achieve this goal, 601 participants who experienced a trauma at different times (subsample 1: 1 year maximum; subsample 2: more than 1 year) were recruited and asked to complete an online survey assessing the following constructs: rumination, post-traumatic growth, post-traumatic stress and depressive symptoms. ERRI’s reliability and validity were evaluated using the exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) method, i.e. combining the power and flexibility of traditional confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. The ESEM model for the “recent” time frame achieved the best indices in terms of goodness of fit. The correlation network revealed significant connections with related constructs, indicating the validity of intrusive and deliberate scores. Finally, the two dimensions of the scale demonstrated a significant ability to discriminate both intrusive and deliberate rumination as participants moved away from the time of the trauma. ERRI has shown very good psychometric properties and appears to be a good instrument to assess ruminative processing after a highly stressful event.

The Relationship Between Attitudes Toward Death, Rumination, and Psychological Resilience of Oncology Nurses

The study aimed to examine the relationship between attitudes toward death, rumination, and psychological resilience of oncology nurses. The study design was cross-sectional. Data were collected from 118 oncology nurses using the Demographic Data Form, Work-Related Rumination Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale Short Form, and Death Attitude Profile-Revised Scale. For data analysis, correlation and regression analyses were performed. The study findings showed that oncology nurses` work related rumination score was moderate, while psychological resilience score was severely high. More than two-thirds of the work-related ruminations of oncology nurses were explained by psychological resilience and attitudes toward death. Even though there is a negative correlation between negative attitudes toward death and psychological resilience, the acceptance of death scores showed positive relations with psychological resilience. Nurses with positive attitudes toward death can also develop psychological resilience and experience fewer work-related ruminations. This result reveals the necessity of determining oncology nurses' attitudes toward death in order to protect their psychological resilience and reduce work-related ruminations. It is also evident that the results are valuable in presenting how nurses' work-related ruminations relate to psychological resilience and attitudes toward death. Nurses are the main care providers in oncology settings, and they are witnessing the suffering process of their patients and experiencing the loss of their patients. These challenges bring work-related ruminations that lower the psychological resilience of nurses and affect attitudes toward death. Therefore, nurses can build an awareness of their ruminations and develop coping skills with intrusive ruminations.

A latent profile analysis of moral emotions following moral transgressions.

Moral transgressions (MTs), events that violate one's moral code, are associated with the moral emotions of guilt and shame. However, there may be different patterns by which people experience guilt and shame that affect distress following MTs. Undergraduates (N = 1371) exposed to anMT completed self-report assessments. This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to examine profiles based on guilt cognitions, internalized shame, and distress in relation to a reported MT. Cognitive flexibility, years since the MT, and deliberate and intrusive rumination were examined as variables to determine how these factors predicted profile membership. Results from the LPA revealed a three-profile solution: a low moral distress profile (n = 1002), a moderate moral distress profile (n = 262), and a shame prominent profile (n = 107). Results indicated that higher levels of deliberate and intrusive rumination and lower levels of cognitive flexibility significantly increased the likelihood of belonging to the moderate moral distress or shame prominent profiles compared to the low moral distress profile. Higher levels of intrusive rumination and lower levels of cognitive flexibility also significantly increased the likelihood of belonging to the shame prominent profile over the moderate distress profile. Three different profiles emerged, with the shame prominent profile being driven primarily by internalized shame. Results suggest that intrusive rumination and cognitive inflexibility are risk factors to experiencing adverse responses to MTs.

“It’s a Right Pain in the Pelvis!”: Post-Traumatic Stress and Post-Traumatic Growth in a Sample of Females Experiencing Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain affects 38 per 1,000 women yearly (Daniels & Khan, 2010; Zondervan et al., 1999), accompanied by various psychological sequelae. Positive psychology may offer new approaches to pelvic pain that complement existing interventions; these include post-traumatic growth (PTG), optimism, resilience, and models of recovery. In a sample of 132 females (aged 16 to 45+), cross-sectional research revealed that participants with pelvic pain of unknown cause had the highest levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. A regression analysis revealed that intrusive rumination, avoidant coping, and resilience were significant predictors of PTSD symptoms, and resilience and social support were predictors of PTG. Understanding the elements of positive psychology could help create positive psychology interventions focusing on chronic pelvic pain’s impact on mental health.

The current situation and influencing factors of depersonalization in clinical nurses

Objective: To investigate the depersonalization status and to analyze the effect of workplace incivility perception, intrusive rumination and fear of negative evaluation on depersonalization in clinical nurses. Methods: In May 2019, 10 cities were selected as sampling cities by the method of grabbing random ball in Henan Province and Fujian Province. Using the stratified sampling, clinical nurses were selected as the research objects for a questionnaire survey in 22 tertiary hospitals and 23 secondary hospitals, included 1200 nurses. A total of 1200 questionnaires were issued and collected, and 1159 valid questionnaires were collected with effective recovery of 96.6%. Clinical nurses were investigated by Workplace Incivility Scale, Event Related Rumination Inventory, Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey. The demographic characteristics of nurses' depersonalization were compared and analyzed with t test and single factor analysis of variance. The influence mechanism of workplace incivility perception, intrusive rumination and fear of negative evaluation on depersonalization was analyzed with Bootstrap. Results: Depersonalization scores were (9.3±2.6) points, 467 of those had depersonalization symptoms in clinical nurses (40.3%). The scores of depersonalization of those with <3 years of service [ (10.5±2.9) points] was higher than those with 3-10 years [ (9.1±2.8) points] and 11-31 years [ (9.0±2.9) points]. The scores of depersonalization of those with monthly earning of <3000 yuan [ (10.1±2.8) points] was higher than those with 3000-7999 yuan [ (8.4±2.7) points] and 8000-12000 yuan [ (8.0±2.9) points]. The scores of depersonalization of clinical nurses in surgical departments [ (10.0±2.9) points] was higher than those in non-surgical departments [ (8.7±2.6) points]. The scores of depersonalization of clinical nurses in tertiary hospitals [ (10.0±2.7) points] was higher than those in secondary hospitals [ (8.6±2.8) points]. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Workplace incivility perception affected depersonalization through the single mediating role of intrusive rumination, fear of negative evaluation and the chain mediating role of intrusive rumination and fear of negative evaluation (β=0.16, 0.17, 0.07, 95%CI: 0.15-0.20, 0.15-0.21, 0.03-0.09, P<0.05) . Conclusion: Workplace incivility perception directly or through the independent mediating effects of intrusive rumination or fear of negative evaluation, and the chain mediating effects of intrusive rumination and fear of negative evaluation influences the depersonalization of clinical nurses.

Posttraumatic growth in women after a childbirth experience: The influence of individual characteristics and intrusive and deliberate rumination.

This study targets women who had a self-defined traumatic childbirth experience to (a) explore the differences between sociodemographic-, obstetric-, and trauma-related variables in relation to the rumination style; (b) determine differences between intrusive and deliberate rumination in relation to posttraumatic growth (PTG) dimensions, and (c) test whether intrusive rumination is associated with deliberate rumination, which in turn is associated with PTG dimensions. A cross-sectional study design was employed using a web-based survey method for data collection. In total, 202 women who identified their childbirth experience as traumatic participated in this study. Intrusive rumination and deliberate rumination were positively associated with all dimensions of PTG in women following the traumatic childbirth event. Deliberate rumination fully explained the relationship between intrusive rumination and PTG aspects of relating to others, new opportunities, and personal strength, and partially explained the relationship between intrusive rumination and PTG aspects of spiritual changes and appreciation of life. The results suggest that deliberate rumination can contribute to explain the occurrence of PTG. These findings could help develop psychosocial interventions to maximize opportunities for deliberate rumination for women with traumatic childbirth experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Meaning-making while staying connected matters in psychological adaptation during pandemic: a longitudinal moderated mediation study.

Adversity may bring about both negative and positive changes in psychological adaptation. Although there is mounting evidence regarding the psychological distress during the pandemic, the other side of posttraumatic change, posttraumatic growth (PTG) and its predictors are relatively underexamined. Moreover, there is a paucity of longitudinal investigations that examined intra- and interpersonal predictors responsible for both sides of psychological adaptation. Therefore, this study comprehensively examined the longitudinal relationship among cognitive processing, social support, and adaptation during the pandemic using a moderated mediation model. Specifically, it was tested whether two types of event-related rumination mediated the link between perceived stress and ambilateral adaptational outcomes, and whether social support moderated the mediating pathways of ruminations on adaptation. After informed consent, a representative sample of adults was followed up for over a year, and answered a package of online questionnaires. The results showed that intrusive rumination prospectively predicted greater psychological distress and less PTG in response to stress, whereas deliberate rumination led to less psychological distress and more PTG over time. As predicted, the indirect protective effect of deliberate rumination was stronger when perceived social support was higher. This longitudinal study highlighted the core factors responsible for continued suffering and personal growth during the pandemic. These results have both practical and clinical implications for mental healthcare in the post-COVID era, when the heterogeneity of psychological adaptation increases and preparation for the next pandemic is warranted.

Trajectories of intrusive and deliberate rumination in young and middle-aged stroke survivors: A growth mixture modeling approach.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between intrusive and deliberate rumination, to identify distinct trajectories of intrusive and deliberate rumination, and to examine their predictors in young and middle-aged stroke survivors. This study employed a longitudinal design in which 200 young and middle-aged stroke survivors were investigated at 1-week pre-discharge (T0), 1 month (T1), 3 months (T2), and 6 months (T3) post-discharge. The Event-Related Rumination Inventory, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Perceived Social Support Scale were used for data collection. The results showed that intrusive rumination was positively correlated with deliberate rumination at T0 and T1, and negatively correlated with deliberate rumination at T3. Growth mixture modeling identified three classes of intrusive rumination: Stable-low, Declined, and Elevated group, and two classes of deliberate rumination: High-level and Low-level group. Furthermore, number of children or dysfunctions, type of stroke, family history of stroke, negative coping, and social support were found to predict intrusive rumination. These findings can help healthcare providers timely intervene on survivors in the Elevated and Stable-low intrusive rumination groups, and the Low-level deliberate rumination group.

Development and Evaluation of a Post-Traumatic Growth Program for Teachers Victimized by Students or Parents in South Korea: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group study developed an eight-session post-traumatic growth program for teachers who had experienced violence from students and/or parents and examined its effects on rumination, burnout, and post-traumatic growth. A convenience sample was recruited from 11 elementary schools in Jeonbuk province, South Korea. The experimental group (n = 27) participated in bi-weekly sessions over four weeks, whereas the control group (n = 27) read educational materials on post-traumatic growth during the same period. The experimental group exhibited significantly greater decreases in intrusive rumination and higher post-traumatic growth than the control group. The program could be an effective intervention to assist traumatized teachers.

Association of Rumination and Metacognition with Posttraumatic Growth in Parents of Children with Cancer

ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to examine the association of rumination, metacognition, and posttraumatic with growth in parents of children diagnosed with cancer. Data SourcesThe study adopted a descriptive correlational design, and participants (N = 103) were parents of children with cancer. The study was conducted online through the social media platforms of three cancer associations. Data were collected using the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30, the Event Related Rumination Inventory, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. ConclusionThe findings revealed a positive correlation between deliberate rumination and metacognition with posttraumatic growth, while a negative correlation was observed between intrusive rumination and posttraumatic growth. Furthermore, deliberate rumination, intrusive rumination, and metacognition collectively accounted for 30% of the variance in posttraumatic growth among parents of children with cancer. These results underscore the significant influence of rumination and metacognition in facilitating posttraumatic growth in this specific population. Consequently, interventions aimed at fostering deliberate rumination hold substantial potential for promoting posttraumatic growth among parents of children diagnosed with cancer. Implications for Nursing PracticeThis research guides nurses in addressing rumination, metacognition, and posttraumatic growth in parents of children with cancer. By adopting a holistic approach, nurses can enhance parents' well-being and resilience in the face of a child's cancer diagnosis.

Rumination, Basic Beliefs, and Posttraumatic Growth in Cancer Patients

Background Cancer is a highly distressing and traumatic experience that can significantly impact individuals’ psychological well-being. Whereas many cancer patients may experience negative psychological outcomes, such as posttraumatic stress symptoms, a subset of individuals also reports positive psychological changes known as posttraumatic growth. Objective To contribute to theory-driven development of these treatments by exploring the role of deliberate rumination in posttraumatic growth, along with the basic beliefs that might shape it. Methods A sample of cancer patients (n = 139) completed self-report measures assessing rumination, basic beliefs, and posttraumatic growth. Multiple linear regression analyses and moderated mediation models were conducted to analyze the data. Results Findings support the hypothesis that intrusive rumination, deliberate ruminating, and disruption in basic beliefs strongly predict posttraumatic growth in cancer survivors. The results of this simple mediation indicate that deliberate rumination has a full mediating role. The results show that at all levels of basic beliefs, there is a positive and statistically significant indirect effect of intrusive rumination on posttraumatic growth. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of addressing rumination and core beliefs in interventions aimed at promoting posttraumatic growth among cancer patients. Further research is needed to explore additional factors that may influence the relationship between rumination, basic beliefs, and posttraumatic growth. Implications for Practice Oncology nurses can assist individuals in recognizing and managing intrusive rumination, as well as advocating deliberate rumination as a constructive cognitive process for making sense of a traumatic event and fostering growth.

Intrusive rumination and academic burnout among adolescents in ethnic minority areas of China during the COVID-19 pandemic: PTSS as mediator and cognitive reappraisal as moderator

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on public health, prompting scholarly research in related fields. In this context, the present study reveals the psychological characteristics of adolescents in ethnic minority areas of China approximately five months after the 2020 outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, explores the relationship between intrusive rumination and academic burnout, and examines the role of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and cognitive reappraisal in the relationship to provide an empirical foundation for developing effective psychological interventions for adolescents in the wake of the pandemic.MethodsBased on cluster sampling, 941 middle school students (65.36% female, 74.71% senior high, Mage=15.95) in ethnic minority areas of China were surveyed using the Event Related Rumination Scale, Adolescent Academic Burnout Scale, Post-traumatic Stress Checklist Scale, Emotion Regulation Strategy Scale, and a self-designed demographic questionnaire.ResultsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, 7.44% of Chinese ethnic minority adolescents in our study sample were classified as PTSD positive, and 10.95% exhibited partial PTSD. Intrusive rumination significantly predicted academic burnout, and PTSS played a key mediating role between the two, accounting for 58.51% of the total effect. After controlling for PTSS, cognitive reappraisal moderated the effects of intrusive rumination on academic burnout. Specifically, the effect of intrusive rumination on academic burnout decreased with improvement in cognitive reappraisal.ConclusionsIntrusive rumination indirectly affected academic burnout in adolescents through PTSS as a crucial mediator, and the remnant direct effect was alleviated by cognitive reappraisal. This finding emphasises the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that encompasses cognitive, emotional, and physiological symptoms to understand and address academic burnout among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.