Ruminative Response Research Articles

Working Memory, Rumination, and Autobiographical Memory Specificity Impairment

Objectives: Specificity impairment is a memory alteration that occurs in people with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this investigation, we intended to shine a light on obscure aspects of executive resource and capture and rumination frameworks to determine whether these theories are reliable in predicting underlying mechanisms for specificity impairment. Methods: In this correlational research, we used the convenience sampling method over two months, between January and February 2021. We administrated the digit span working memory test, ruminative response scale (RRS), and autobiographical memory interview to indicate whether working memory capacity and subtypes of rumination can predict memory specificity in people with MDD. Using RRS enabled us to determine the correlation between subtypes of rumination and memory specificity. Results: Our samples consisted of 105 adults (53 males (50.5%) and 52 females (49.5%)) with MDD. The participants’ mean age was 33.38 years with a range of 22-43 years. The results no significant difference between gender, marriage, and age groups in terms of memory specificity (P>0.05). The results of the Spearman correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis showed that only working memory capacity can predict memory specificity (r=0.216, p<0.05). There was no significant correlation between brooding and reflection, as two subtypes of rumination and memory specificity. Discussion: In line with our results, it should be stated that depression is accompanied by executive deficits, which result in memory impairments. These impairments are due to the structural and functional alterations in the brain in the depressed group. As the Carfax model emphasized, working memory capacity is not only required to maintain, define, and hold the optimal retrieval model but it is also crucial to inhibit interfering autobiographical information. Nonetheless, neither brooding nor reflection rumination can predict memory specificity. Therefore, memory capacity is probably occupied due to ineffective search strategies, not rumination.

Rumination in bipolar disorder associated with brain network and behavioural measures of inhibitory executive control.

Rumination is a passive form of negative self-focused cognition that predicts depressive episodes for individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). Individuals with BD also have impaired inhibitory executive control; rumination in BD may therefore reflect executive dysfunction. We investigated the relationship between a neural measure of executive functioning (functional connectivity between the frontoparietal control network [FPCN] and the default mode network [DMN] during an effortful task), behavioural measures of executive functioning (the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function) and rumination (the Ruminative Responses Scale). Fifteen individuals with BD and fifteen healthy controls underwent MRI scans during mental distraction. Using CONN toolbox, between-network FPCN-DMN connectivity values were calculated. We conducted Pearson's r bivariate correlations between connectivity values, BRIEF and RRS scores. RRS scores were positively correlated with BRIEF Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) scores. In individuals with BD, there was a positive correlation between FPCN-DMN functional connectivity during distraction and BRIEF BRI scores. FPCN-DMN functional connectivity was also positively correlated with RRS ruminative brooding scores. Healthy controls did not show significant correlations between these behavioural and neural measures of executive functioning and rumination. For individuals with BD, the greater the tendency to ruminate and the higher the executive dysfunction, the stronger the connectivity between an executive control network and a network involved in rumination during an unrelated cognitive task. This could reflect continual attempts to inhibit ruminative thinking and shift back to the distraction task. Therefore, engagement in rumination may reflect failed inhibitory executive control.

The effect of cyberbullying victimization and traditional bullying victimization on suicidal ideation among Chinese female college students: The role of rumination and insomnia

BackgroundThe issue of college student suicide has emerged as a significant global public health concern. To date, there has been a lack of extensive research on the effects of distinct forms of bullying victimization (traditional bullying victimization and cyberbullying victimization) on suicidal ideation, as well as the differences between them. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between two forms of bullying victimization and suicidal ideation among female college students, while also considering the potential mediating effects of rumination and insomnia. MethodsA total of 2106 female college students from Southern China participated in this study. The participants had a mean age of 19.83 years (SD = 1.04 years). Participants completed the MINI-C questionnaire, School Bullying Behavior Questionnaire, Cyberbullying Inventory (CBI), Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). The mediation models were conducted using Model 4 and Model 6 of the Process macro program in SPSS. ResultsThe results showed that (1) the mediating effect of rumination in the relationship between different forms of bullying victimization and suicidal ideation was significant; (2) The mediating effect of insomnia in the relationship between traditional bullying victimization and suicidal ideation was not significant; the mediating effect between cyberbullying victimization and suicidal ideation was significant. (3) The chain mediating effect of rumination and insomnia in the relationship between different forms of bullying victimization and suicidal ideation were both significant. ConclusionThis study endeavor represents the first attempt to investigate the relationship between two forms of bullying victimization and suicidal ideation.

Trait repetitive negative thinking in depression is associated with functional connectivity in negative thinking state rather than resting state

Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) has been proposed as a potential indicator of repetitive negative thinking (RNT) in depression. However, identifying the specific functional process associated with RSFC alterations is challenging, and it remains unclear whether alterations in RSFC for depressed individuals are directly related to the RNT process or to individual characteristics distinct from the negative thinking process per se. To investigate the relationship between RSFC alterations and the RNT process in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD), we compared RSFC with functional connectivity during an induced negative-thinking state (NTFC) in terms of their predictability of RNT traits and associated whole-brain connectivity patterns using connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) and connectome-wide association (CWA) analyses. Thirty-six MDD participants and twenty-six healthy control participants underwent both resting state and induced negative thinking state fMRI scans. Both RSFC and NTFC distinguished between healthy and depressed individuals with CPM. However, trait RNT in depressed individuals, as measured by the Ruminative Responses Scale-Brooding subscale, was only predictable from NTFC, not from RSFC. CWA analysis revealed that negative thinking in depression was associated with higher functional connectivity between the default mode and executive control regions, which was not observed in RSFC. These findings suggest that RNT in depression involves an active mental process encompassing multiple brain regions across functional networks, which is not represented in the resting state. Although RSFC indicates brain functional alterations in MDD, they may not directly reflect the negative thinking process.

Exploitation of Host Resistance: A Promising Alternative Approach to Control Gastrointestinal Nematodoses in Small Ruminant: A Review

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) are the most insidious pathogens causing severe economic losses to the livestock industry. Among GINs Haemonchus contortus is the most pathogenic and predominant parasite of small ruminant livestock. Although the use of chemical anthelmintics is still the corner-stone of control method for GINs, the increasing rate of prevalence of anthelmintic resistance has made it less reliable control option. Anthelmintic resistance together with global demands for chemical residue free animal product has led to search for alternative sustainable control strategies which rely less on chemical anthelmintics. One of such strategy is the exploitation of host resistance against the GINs including H. contortus. The resistance of animals to GINs varies within and between breeds of sheep and goats. Host immune response plays an important role in host resistance but the immune mechanisms responsible for resistance are not fully known. Studies on identification of gene/(s) responsible for host resistance are also being carried out to find out the molecular mechanism of GINs resistance in sheep and goats all over the world. Selective breeding for GINs resistance is the ultimate solution for the problems of anthelmintic resistance. This article reviews the published reports on GINs resistance in relation to immunological response and genetic studies in small ruminants and discusses the prospects for selective breeding of GINs resistance in sheep and goat.

Exploring the relationship between distress rumination, resilience, depression, and self-injurious behaviors among Chinese college athletes infected with COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.

Distress rumination is a cause of suicidality and self-injurious behavior (SSIB) among individuals. Although previous studies have shown that distress rumination, SSIB, resilience, and depression are significantly related, the interaction mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate resilience and depression as mediators of the relationship between distress rumination and SSIB among Chinese college athletes infected with COVID-19. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from the National College Football Championship in Guangxi City, China from January to February 2023. Participants completed the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS), a subscale of the Health-Risk Behavior Inventory (HBI), the Mental Toughness Index (MTI) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). We used the PROCESS macro for SPSS to determine the mediating effect of resilience and depression between distress rumination and SSIB. A total of 350 Chinese college athletes participated in this study and completed the questionnaire survey. 289 (81.7% boys; Mage = 20.31 years, SD = 1.60) of them have been infected with COVID-19. 59.9% (n = 173) participants were from urban areas and 15.6% (n = 45) of participants have engaged in self-injurious behaviors or suicidal ideation. College athletes' distress rumination was significantly negatively correlated with resilience (r = - 0.28, p < 0.01), and was significantly positively correlated with depression (r = 0.49, p < 0.01) and SSIB (r = - 0.18, p < 0.01). Resilience was significantly negatively correlated with depression (r = - 0.35, p < 0.01) and SSIB (r = - 0.30, p < 0.01). Finally, depression was significantly positively correlated with SSIB (r = - 0.38, p < 0.01). Resilience and depression played a mediating role of the total effects of distress rumination and SSIB, respectively. Meanwhile, the chain mediating effect of resilience and depression was also significant. This study found that distress rumination can directly predict SSIB, and indirectly predict SSIB through the mediating effect of resilience and depression, and the chain mediating effect of resilience-depression. Therefore, reducing the degree of distress rumination of college athletes infected by COVID-19 and improving their resilience, as well as reducing their depression may help prevent SSIB.

Trait anxiety and depressive rumination mediate the effect of perceived childhood rearing on adulthood presenteeism.

Productivity loss in the workplace due to physical or mental health problems, which is called presenteeism, leads to large financial losses. Personal and work environment factors, as well as physical and mental illnesses are associated with presenteeism, but the detailed underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the effects of perceived childhood rearing on the presenteeism of adult workers, and the mediating effects of trait anxiety and depressive rumination. In 2017 and 2018, a cross-sectional paper-based survey was conducted, and written consent from 447 adult workers was obtained. Demographic information and results from the Parental Bonding Instrument, trait anxiety of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y, Ruminative Responses Scale, and Work Limitations Questionnaire were surveyed. Multiple regression analyses and structural equation modeling were conducted. The low perceived quality of rearing from parents in childhood, i.e., low care and high overprotection, indirectly worsened current presenteeism via trait anxiety and depressive rumination. Presenteeism was directly worsened by trait anxiety and depressive rumination, and the low perceived quality of rearing from parents directly affected trait anxiety and depressive rumination, and trait anxiety affected depressive rumination. The results of this study clarified the long-term influences of the low perceived quality of rearing experienced in childhood on adulthood presenteeism via trait anxiety and depressive rumination. Therefore, assessing the quality of childhood rearing, trait anxiety, and depressive rumination of individuals may help to elucidate the causes of presenteeism in the workplace, and how to manage it effectively.

Choosing to avoid the positive? Emotion regulation strategy choice in depression.

Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) are more likely than nondepressed individuals to use emotion regulation strategies that decrease pleasant emotions (e.g., distraction from positive stimuli) and increase unpleasant emotions (e.g., negative rumination). If such strategies are actively chosen, these choices may partly reflect weaker motivation for pleasant emotions or stronger motivation for unpleasant emotions. Therefore, this investigation tested, for the first time, whether such strategies are actively chosen, even when alternatives are available. In Study 1, using a behavioral task, MDD participants (N = 38) were more likely than healthy controls (N = 39) to choose to use distraction over positive rumination in response to pleasant stimuli, resulting in reductions in pleasant affect. When instructed to choose the strategy that would make them feel better, however, MDD participants did not differ from controls in their strategy choices. In Study 2, using ecological momentary assessments, MDD participants (N = 58) were more likely than controls (N = 62) to use distraction from pleasant emotions and to use negative rumination in daily life. This pattern of strategy use was predicted by stronger motivation for unpleasant emotions among MDD participants, compared to controls. Stronger motivation for unpleasant emotions in daily life also predicted increases in unpleasant affect and decreases in pleasant affect. Findings suggest that compared to nondepressed individuals, people with MDD are more likely to choose emotion regulation strategies that decrease pleasant emotions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal ideation among Chinese college students of childhood emotional abuse: associations with rumination, experiential avoidance, and depression.

Prior studies have proved the relationships between childhood emotional abuse (CEA) histories and suicidal thoughts or behaviors in adulthood, however, how emotion regulation strategies work as the mediating mechanism is necessary to be investigated. This study aimed to further verify the impacts of rumination, experiential avoidance (EA) and depression on the associations between CEA and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal ideation (SI) on a sample of Chinese college students. The Childhood Emotional Abuse Questionnaire, the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist, the Ruminative Response Scale, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale were completed by 1,317 college students. The rates of NSSI and SI of students with CEA experiences were 31.70 and 7.90% respectively, both higher than those without such experiences. The mediating roles of rumination, EA and depression between CEA and NSSI and SI were significant (p < 0.01). The current study shed light on the linking roles of rumination, EA and depression in the relations between CEA and NSSI and SI. It is suggested that developing adaptive emotion-regulating strategies may be helpful to the intervention of suicidal thoughts or behaviors among individuals with CEA experiences.

TDCS efficacy and utility of anhedonia and rumination as clinical predictors of response to tDCS in major depressive disorder (MDD)

BackgroundAnhedonia and rumination are mental disorders' transdiagnostic features but remain difficult to treat. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a proven treatment for depression, but its effects on anhedonia and rumination and whether anhedonia and rumination can be used as a predictive biomarker of treatment response is not well known. This study aimed to investigate the tDCS efficacy and identify the predictive role of anhedonia and rumination in response to tDCS in patients with MDD. Methods182 patients received 10 tDCS sessions delivered at 2 mA to left (anode) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17), Snaith–Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), and the 10-item Ruminative Response Scale (RRS-10) was administered to patients with MDD before treatment, following it, and after two weeks of tDCS. ResultsThere was an overall significant improvement in anhedonia from pre- to post-treatment. Regression analyses revealed that responders had higher baseline anhedonia and rumination (reflective pondering) scores. We found that the reduction in HRSD scores after tDCS was significantly associated with anhedonia's baseline values while no relation was found between baseline rumination and tDCS treatment response. ConclusionThese results provide new evidence that pronounced anhedonia may be a significant clinical predictor of response to tDCS. Patients with severe or low baseline rumination had an equal chance of achieving clinical response. Prospective tDCS studies are necessary to validate the predictive value of the derived model.

Perfectionism, Academic Stress, Rumination and Worry: A Predictive Model for Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in University Students From Colombia

Perfectionism, academic stress, worry, and rumination are associated with increased levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in university students. However, associations between these variables have been explored separately. Using PLS-SEM, the present study explored a multivariate model in which these variables interplay to predict affective symptoms. A sample of 403 students between ages 18 and 29 years from 55 Colombian institutions of higher education participated by completing Zung depression and anxiety scales, the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Inventory of Academic Stress, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and the Ruminative Responses Scale. Results indicate a positive relationship between perfectionism and academic stress, and a mediation effect of worry and rumination in the relationship between academic stress and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Findings provide evidence of a novel model that precedes the design of target prevention and intervention programs pointing to reduce the risk of affective disorders and its associated negative consequences.

Association between rumination and drug craving in Chinese male methamphetamine use disorder patients with childhood trauma

BackgroundIn China, males make up the majority of methamphetamine (MA) dependent individuals and the majority of treatment seekers. Childhood trauma (CT) and rumination are associated with an increased risk of MA use. However, the association between CT, rumination, and drug craving remains largely unknown. ObjectiveThe present study aims to explore the association between rumination and drug craving in methamphetamine use disorder (MAUD) patients with CT. Participants and settingThis study recruited 404 male participants with MAUD from a male drug rehabilitation center in Southwest China. MethodsPatients with CT were identified by the short form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF). Rumination and drug craving were assessed by the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS) and the Obsessive Compulsive Drug Use Scale (OCDUS), respectively. Results188 patients (46.5 %) experienced CT. Patients who had experienced CT showed significantly higher RRS symptom rumination score and OCDUS total score than those who had not. In patients with CT, RRS total and all subscale scores were positively associated with OCDUS interference of drug. Furthermore, the RRS brooding (β = 0.34, p < 0.001) and total scores (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) were determined to be separate contributors to the OCDUS total score in patients with CT. ConclusionsOur study suggests that CT is common in male MAUD patients, and those who have suffered CT may exhibit higher levels of rumination and drug craving. Moreover, CT may play an influential role in the association between rumination and drug craving in patients with MAUD.

Ruminal responses, digestibility, and blood parameters of beef cattle fed diets with different oilseeds.

It aimed to evaluate the effects of different whole oilseeds in lipid-rich diets on nutrient intake, apparent digestibility, ingestive behavior, and ruminal and blood parameters of steers. A control diet (without oilseed) and four diets containing whole oilseeds (cotton, canola, sunflower, and soybean) were tested. All diets used the whole-plant corn silage at 400 g/kg as roughage. Five diets, being a control diet (without oilseed) and four diets containing whole oilseeds (cotton, canola, sunflower, and soybean), were tested. All diets used the whole-plant corn silage at 400 g/kg as roughage. Five rumen fistulated crossbreed steers, in a 5 × 5 Latin square design were distributed using five periods of 21 days. The steers fed cottonseed and canola diets had lower dry matter intakes (6.6 kg/day). Steers showed higher averages of time in rumination for treatments with sunflower, soybean, and cottonseed (406, 362, and 361 min/day, respectively). There was no treatment effect for the ruminal pH and ammonia (NH3) variables. There was an effect of the treatment on the volatile fatty acid concentrations. The animals that received soybean showed a higher plasma urea concentration (50.7 mg/dL). Animals fed the control diet showed lower serum cholesterol levels (111.8 mg/dL) than those fed diets containing whole cottonseed, canola, sunflower, and soybean (152.7, 137.1, 146.9, and 138.2 mg/dL, respectively). We recommended using whole soybean or sunflower seeds to formulate lipid-rich diets with 70 g/kg of ether extract for crossbreed steers in the feedlot.

Factors that contribute to trait mindfulness level among hospitalized patients with major depressive disorder.

Mindfulness training among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) reduces symptoms, prevents relapse, improves prognosis, and is more efficient for those with a high level of trait mindfulness. Upon hospital admission, 126 MDD patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief, Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and the Rumination Response Scale (RRS). The 65 patients that scored less than the median of all subjects on the FFMQ were placed into the low mindfulness level (LML) group. The other 61 patients were placed in the high mindfulness level (HML) group. All facet scores were statistically different between the mental health assessment scores of the HML and LML groups except for RRS brooding and FFMQ nonjudgement. Trait mindfulness level exhibited a negative and bidirectional association with MDD severity primarily through the facets of description and aware actions. Trait mindfulness was also related positively with age primarily through the facets of nonreactivity and nonjudgement. Being married is positively associated with trait mindfulness levels primarily through the facet of observation and by an associated increase in perceived quality of life. Mindfulness training prior to MDD diagnosis also associates positively with trait mindfulness level. Hospitalized MDD patients should have their trait mindfulness levels characterized to predict treatment efficiency, help establish a prognosis, and identify mindfulness-related therapeutic targets.

Rumination in Response to a Social Interaction: Psychometric Properties of the Socially Anxious Rumination Questionnaire (SARQ) in Social Anxiety Disorder

Increased negative rumination is a cognitive process understood to maintain social anxiety disorder (SAD). The Socially Anxious Rumination Questionnaire (SARQ) is a measure with two parallel versions that reflect pre-event rumination (i.e., SARQ-pre) and post-event rumination (i.e., SARQ-post). Given that anxiety in SAD can pertain to both performative and interactional situations, evaluation of questionnaires in these different contexts is important for determining how pre-event and post-event rumination may vary according to the type of situation. The current study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the SARQ in relation to a conversation task. The study also aimed to determine whether pre-event and post-event rumination levels vary following different social tasks. All participants had a principal diagnosis of SAD. Participants completed the SARQ-pre (n = 134) and SARQ-post (n = 124) in relation to a 5-minute conversation and a 3-minute speech in counterbalanced order. Confirmatory factor analyses endorsed a unidimensional interpretation for the SARQ-pre and SARQ-post in relation to a conversation. The SARQ-pre and SARQ-post also demonstrated good construct validity, excellent internal consistency, and treatment sensitivity following cognitive behavioral therapy. The SARQ-pre scores were significantly higher in anticipation of a speech when compared to scores on an upcoming conversation. The SARQ-post scores were significantly elevated one-week following a conversation, in comparison to the scores collected regarding a speech. The SARQ has good psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable instrument to use as a measure of pre-event and post-event rumination in relation to a conversation.

The metacognitive experience of time passing in Chinese college students: scale development, structure verification, and influencing factors.

The experience of time passing (ETP) is also the consciousness of the progress of life. ETP contributes to time regulation and life management, which basically conforms to the metacognitive theory. Also, the traditional Chinese cultural approach to time emphasizes ETP. It is an indispensable part of Chinese education and culture to strengthen one's appreciation of time by emphasizing the passage of time. In combination with the above two points, ETP equals metacognitive experience of time passing (METP) to a certain extent. However, we currently know little about the connotations of METP. To better understand traditional Chinese time culture, and referring to the concept of metacognition and model of time experience as proposed by Western scholars, the current study combined the results of open and semi-structured interviews, to explore the structure of METP in Chinese college students and developed a questionnaire with which to measure it. Using convenience sampling, 2,876 college students were recruited, the interview, and the reliability and validity tests were carried out. Five hundred and seventy-nine college students were tested a second time to investigate the correlation validity between METP and Ruminative Responses, time attitude, and meaning in life. The results led to the development of the METP Scale which contains 15 items and assesses two factors: ruminative and emotional experience of time passing. The two-factor model was well fitted, and invariable in measurements across gender, grade, and major. The internal consistency coefficients of the scale and its two factors ranged from 0.82 to 0.89, the half-point reliability between 0.76 and 0.88, and the retest reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.78. METP Scale has good correlation validity, meanwhile, the results of regression analysis showed that symptom rumination, positive past, negative present, positive future, and searching for meaning in life significantly predict the intensity of METP.

Need for emotional closure scale: Testing for measurement invariance in Turkish and English versions

Emotional closure is a feeling of subjective completeness of a past event evoking feelings of closure as opposed to openness. People might differ in need for emotional closure over past open experiences. In the current two studies, we aimed to create a valid scale to measure this need as a personality tendency. We asked participants (N = 265, N = 207, respectively) to fill out the constructed need for emotional closure scale in Turkish (Study-1) and in English (Study-2). Additionally, participants filled out the intolerance to uncertainty, ruminative responses, and need for cognitive closure scales in random order. We conducted a series of exploratory factor analyses in the Turkish version, which revealed four factors: Emotional disturbance, interpersonal discussions, bother, and regret. In Study-2, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis of the English adaptation showed an adequate fit. A measurement-invariant English version was created with high internal reliability and convergent validity. We discuss these findings concerning the importance of this tendency, why it can be a helpful measurement, and possible implications for clinical psychology literature.

The Impact of Average and Daily Rumination on Diurnal Cortisol in Older African American Adults

Rumination has the potential to disrupt the diurnal cortisol rhythm with implications for physical and mental health. The Perseverative Cognition Hypothesis posits that the persistent cognitive representation of a stressor can prolong physiological stress response. Rumination, one form of perseverative cognition, can be assessed from two perspectives: the general tendency to ruminate and rumination in response to specific daily stressors. The present study examined the effect of both average and daily rumination on diurnal cortisol in older African American adults. Data were drawn from the Health among Older adults Living in Detroit (HOLD) study, an ongoing examination of healthy aging in African American adults, (N = 211; Mage = 67.6 yrs, SD = 8.5, range = 50–89). Across five days, participants completed daily diaries assessing rumination about the day’s most stressful event and provided four saliva samples per day from which cortisol data were obtained. Cortisol data was available for 203 individuals. Individuals with higher perceived stress and lower income ruminated more over the five days. Hierarchical linear models tested effects of average and daily rumination on diurnal cortisol. Average rumination did not predict diurnal cortisol slope. Furthermore, daily rumination did not predict diurnal slope across the current day or the subsequent day. Neither average nor daily rumination predicted diurnal cortisol in African American adults. The present study measured rumination across only five days; future studies are recommended to examine the effect of trait levels of rumination on cortisol dynamics in addition to daily rumination.

The role of rumination in shaping emotional symptom trajectories across the menstrual cycle

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) was added to the DSM-5 following evidence that it represents an abnormal brain reaction to normal hormone changes across the menstrual cycle. However, few studies have examined the cognitive and behavioral constructs that may contribute to these adverse psychoendocrine responses. Several small prior studies have found that rumination, a maladaptive form of repetitive thought, may intensify cyclical hormone sensitivity. 232 naturally cycling females (mean age = 30.93; 59% Caucasian) completed the Rumination Response Scale at baseline, then provided 2-3 months of ratings using the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (i.e., emotional, behavioral, physical symptoms). Using a prospective daily survey design and multilevel growth modeling, we tested the hypotheses that higher baseline trait rumination would predict (1) higher baseline symptoms, (2) a more rapid increase in premenstrual symptoms during the luteal phase (i.e., during elevations/fluctuations of E2 and P4), and (3) a slower recovery to baseline after menses onset (i.e., following E2 and P4 withdrawal). Contrary to predictions, higher rumination did not predict baseline level, premenstrual increase, or postmenstrual decrease of any symptom. In post hoc analyses, this failure to predict severity or trajectory persisted in a subsample selected for any cyclical symptom change. This study, which utilized a large sample size and gold-standard daily rating methods, does not support the hypothesis that rumination is a key moderator of premenstrual hormone-sensitive symptoms, suggesting the need to identify other moderators.

Improvement in self-reported cognitive functioning but not in rumination following online working memory training in a two-year follow-up study of remitted major depressive disorder.

Self-reported subjective cognitive difficulties (subjective deficits) and rumination are central residual cognitive symptoms following major depressive disorder (MDD). These are risk factors for more a severe course of illness, and despite the considerable relapse risk of MDD, few interventions target the remitted phase, a high-risk period for developing new episodes. Online distribution of interventions could help close this gap. Computerized working memory training (CWMT) shows promising results, but findings are inconclusive regarding which symptoms improve following this intervention, and its long-term effects. This study reports results from a longitudinal open-label two-year follow-up pilot-study of self-reported cognitive residual symptoms following 25 sessions (40 min), five times a week of a digitally delivered CWMT intervention. Ten of 29 patients remitted from MDD completed two-year follow-up assessment. Significant large improvements in self-reported cognitive functioning on the behavior rating inventory of executive function-adult version appeared after two-years (d = 0.98), but no significant improvements were found in rumination (d < 0.308) measured by the ruminative responses scale. The former showed moderate non-significant associations to improvement in CWMT both post-intervention (r = 0.575) and at two-year follow-up (r = 0.308). Strengths in the study included a comprehensive intervention and long follow-up time. Limitations were small sample and no control group. No significant differences between completers and drop-outs were found, however, attrition effects cannot be ruled out and demand characteristics could influence findings. Results suggested lasting improvements in self-reported cognitive functioning following online CWMT. Controlled studies with larger samples should replicate these promising preliminary findings.