Ruminative Thinking Research Articles

Microaggressions and Psychological Health Among College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model of Rumination and Social Structure Beliefs.

Racial microaggressions are common experiences for students of color on college campuses. Given prior research connecting microaggressions to negative mental health outcomes, it is important to better understand the social context and process through which microaggressions are associated with poorer mental health. In addition, we put forth a psycho-sociological approach to microaggressions, integrating an attention to both individual psychology and broader social structure. Specifically, the present study investigated whether the indirect association of school/workplace microaggressions and internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) through problem-focused thoughts (a subset of ruminative thinking) differed as a function of horizontal and vertical dimensions of individualism and collectivism among a racially diverse sample of non-White college students (n = 549) from two universities in the USA. As hypothesized, problem-focused thoughts mediated the associations between school/workplace microaggressions and all three negative mental health symptoms. Furthermore, the indirect effect of school/workplace microaggressions on psychological health through problem-focused thoughts was stronger in students with high levels of vertical individualism (i.e., autonomous but recognize/accept inequality among individuals), compared tostudents with low or average levels. Our findings suggest that students of color who endorse vertical individualism are at a relatively greater risk of negative mental health outcomes related to school/workplace microaggressions via problem-focused thoughts. Future research is needed to examine additional factors that may buffer or strengthen the pathways between microaggressions and negative mental health in students of color.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for reducing rumination and improving mindfulness and self-compassion in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Introduction Depression is one of the most important psychiatric disorders, and the rate of recurrence is high. The heavy cost burden of depression is probably due to treatment-resistant depression. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Method The present study was a quasi-experimental study conducted with twenty-four patients with treatment-resistant depression. Participants were selected by purposive sampling and randomly assigned to two groups, an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received MBCT and antidepressants, while the control group received antidepressants only. The Hamilton and Beck Depression Inventory, Self-Compassion Scale, Thought Rumination Scale, and Mindfulness Scale were administered. The treatment program was conducted in eight sessions; with a follow-up period of one month subsequent to treatment termination. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (analysis of variance for repeated measures and Bonferroni's post-hoc test). Results The results showed that MBCT significantly reduced depression and ruminative thinking in the experimental group and also improved mediators such as mindfulness and self-compassion. Patients maintained gains over the one month follow-up period (p < 0.01). Conclusion The present study provides additional evidence for the effectiveness of MBCT for TRD.

Self-complexity mediates the relationship between temperamental perseverance and ruminative thoughts

The temperamental trait of perseverance is suspected to be a cause for ruminations present in many different affective disorders, especially depression. We predicted that higher-order cognition, including self-complexity, would mediate the role of perseverance. In the current study, we used the Formal Characteristics of Behavior–Temperament Inventory (FCB–TI), the Rumination–Reflection Questionnaire and Evans’ Self-Complexity Inventory (SCI) to measure the factors included in the tested model. We found that a strong positive relation between perseverance and ruminative thoughts is partially mediated by self-complexity. This result shows how important it is to include the complex cognitive processes in personality formation to understand the role of temperament in the development of ruminative thoughts.

0145 Pre-Sleep Cognitive Arousal Decreases Following a 4-Week Introductory Mindfulness Course

Abstract Introduction Mindfulness-based training has shown potential in reducing anxious and ruminative thoughts before sleep, and improving sleep quality. However, traditional 8-week programs have limited acceptability and uptake. In this study, we aimed to test the effects of a short introductory mindfulness training course on pre-sleep arousal and sleep quality. Methods Enrollees in a 4-week Mindfulness Foundation Course were invited to participate in the study and were allocated to one of two groups: intervention (N = 57) and waitlist control (N = 39). 101 participants enrolled in the experiment and 96 completed the protocol (mean(sd) age = 49.5(1.5), 56 female). Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) and the pre-sleep arousal scale (PSAS), and were monitored by actigraphy for a week at baseline and post-intervention. To test the effect of the intervention, outcome variables were subjected to repeated-measures ANCOVA with group as a between-subject variable, and age, gender, and years of education as covariates using intent-to-treat analysis. Results PSQI scores improved across both groups (treatment: t56=4.25, p&amp;lt;.001, mean(sd) = 6.93(3.25)); waitlist: t38=3.27, p=.002, mean(sd) = 7.15(3.55)); however, there was no significant interaction between group and time. There was a significant group by time interaction in the cognitive arousal subscale of the PSAS (F1,90=4.71, p=.03), Post-hoc tests revealed a significant decrease in the treatment but not the waitlist group (treatment: t50=3.17, p=.001; waitlist: t30=0.20, p=.84). The decrease in cognitive arousal correlated with the decrease in PSQI scores in the treatment group only (r =.3, p=.007). Finally, a statistically significant interaction favoring the treatment group was also observed in actigraphically measured WASO (F1,82=6.18, p=0.015). Conclusion The study suggests that a 4-week introductory mindfulness course has moderate effects on reducing cognitive arousal prior to sleep, and that these effects are correlated with improvements in subjective sleep quality. Support This study was funded from a STaR investigator grant (NMRC/STaR/0015/2013) and the National Research Foundation (Singapore) Science of Learning Grant (NRF2016-SOL002-001).

The Association Between Work-Related Rumination and Executive Function Using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function.

Work-related rumination has been associated with a number of health complaints, however, little is known about the underlying factors associated with rumination. Previous work using proxy measures of executive function showed work-related rumination to be negatively associated with executive function. In this paper, we report two studies that examined the association between work-related rumination and executive function utilizing an ecological valid measure of executive function: the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-A, Roth et al., 2005). In study 1 (N = 63), high, relative to low work-related ruminators, were found to demonstrate lower executive function skills, in eight of the nine subscales of the BRIEF. The aim of study 2 (N = 237) was to identify, the key executive function subscale/s associated with work-related rumination. Controlling for known factors associated with work-related rumination (fatigue and sleep), regression analysis identified the behavioral regulation subscale “shift” as the key predictor within the model. Shift relates to our ability to switch attention, to think about different solutions, and dealing with and accepting change. It was concluded that these findings lend support for future research to develop interventions for enhancing shift ability, as an aid to reduce work-related ruminative thinking.

MAP Train My Brain: Meditation Combined with Aerobic Exercise Reduces Stress and Rumination While Enhancing Quality of Life in Medical Students.

Medical students must commit a great deal of concentration and energy during their first 2 years of study, leaving minimal time for self-care. However, once they become physicians, they are in the position of instructing their patients to engage in self-care. Objectives: In this study, first- and second-year medical students participated in a combined mental and physical (MAP) training program with meditation and aerobic exercise that targeted brain health.* Design: Each weekly session began with 30 min of instructional training that emphasized the benefit of the program for brain and body health, followed by 30 min of silent meditation, and ending with 30 min of aerobic exercise. Participants monitored their heart rate to achieve 60%-80% of their personal maximum. Participants engaged in one additional session of MAP training each week on their own. Location and Subjects: First- and second-year medical students were recruited to be participants from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) in Piscataway, NJ. Outcome measures: Participants completed questionnaires of depressive symptoms, perceived stress, ruminative thoughts, and quality of life, before and after the training approximately 8-9 weeks apart. Results: After 8 weeks of training and in contrast to students who did not participate (n = 30), the medical students who completed at least 14 sessions out of 16 (n = 17) reported significantly fewer ruminations (-17%), including depressive (-16%) and brooding ruminations (-24%). Ruminations are repetitive thoughts that are typically negative in nature and associated with symptoms of depression. The medical students also reported greater quality of life at the end of training and less perceived stress. The majority (84%) would recommend these types of practices and this one in particular to their future patients. Conclusions: Previous studies have demonstrated that MAP training can reduce symptoms of depression as well as trauma-related cognitions, while increasing oxygen consumption and synchronized brain activity during cognitive control procedures. Overall, MAP training offers a time-efficient and evidence-based means of maintaining mental and physical wellness for students during medical school and into their future, as well as their patients alike.

Reciprocal effects between cognitive and affective states in women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: An Ecological Momentary Assessment study

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is characterized by cyclical mood changes resulting in clinically significant distress and functional impairment. Studies on momentary cognitive and affective states and their interplay during daily life over the menstrual cycle in affected women are still lacking. Using Ecological Momentary Assessment with electronic diaries, 61 women with current PMDD and 61 healthy control women reported their current mood, rumination, and self-acceptance eight times a day over two consecutive days per cycle phase (menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and late luteal phase). Results revealed that women with PMDD showed significant increases in negative affect and rumination and decreases in positive affect and self-acceptance toward the end of the cycle. Lagged analyses demonstrated stronger within-person reciprocal effects of cognitions and mood in PMDD women compared to controls with the effect of rumination on subsequent negative affect being limited to the late luteal phase. Identified stronger prospective associations between cognitive processes and mood deteriorations in women with PMDD suggest that affected women are more sensitive to detrimental effects of either dimension. Hence, therapeutic strategies aiming at reducing ruminative thoughts and improving self-acceptance such as mindfulness-based interventions could be promising for reducing the burden of PMDD.

Excessive reassurance seeking mediates relations between rumination and problematic smartphone use.

Aside from depression and anxiety, less is known about the relationship of problematic smartphone use (PSU) to other psychopathology- related variables. The authors' aim was to test previously neglected variables in relation to PSU: rumination and excessive reassurance seeking behavior (ERSB). The authors recruited 295 college students for a web-based survey of smartphone use frequency, PSU, depression and anxiety, ruminative thinking, and ERSB. The authors tested linear regression and mediation models, assessing rumination and ERSB as mediating associations between depression/anxiety severity with PSU, adjusting for age, sex, and smartphone use frequency. Results demonstrate that ERSB was significantly related to PSU severity, and ERSB mediated the association between rumination and PSU. Furthermore, the combination of rumination and ERSB mediated relations between both depression and anxiety severity with PSU. Results provide evidence for ERSB as an important variable in understanding relationships between psychopathology symptoms and PSU severity among college students.

Customer aggression and service sabotage

PurposeThe purpose of this study aims to investigate the independent and combined moderating effects of social sharing and rumination on the relationship between customer aggression and service sabotage.Design/methodology/approachTwo samples of service providers were recruited: a sample of face-to-face service employees from various organizations (N = 481) and a sample of call center employees (N = 122). Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires and the research hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analyses.FindingsThe impact of customer aggression on service sabotage was exacerbated by rumination in Sample 1 and although failing to reach significance (0.08), the same pattern of interaction was observed in Sample 2. The results lend support to the existence of a three-way interaction effect between customer aggression, social sharing and rumination. Specifically, the positive relationship between customer aggression and service sabotage was stronger for employees who reported high levels of both social sharing and rumination compared to employees who reported high levels of social sharing but low levels of rumination.Practical implicationsImplementing stress-management training intended to help service employees avoid using maladaptive coping strategies when confronted with mistreatment can serve to reduce employees’ engagement in retaliatory behaviors directed against customers.Originality/valueThe study’s findings provide one potential explanation for the mixed findings in the literature on social sharing and suggest that sharing of emotions for coping with customer aggression may become a maladaptive strategy for individuals who tend to engage in ruminative thinking whereas it may be a helpful coping choice for individuals who do not.

Thought control strategies as predictors of borderline personality disorder and suicide risk

BackgroundBorderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by a pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, affect, self-image and is marked by behavioral impulsivity including suicidal ideation and attempts. Additionally, individuals with BPD tend to engage in maladaptive ruminative thinking that is also related to suicidal ideation and attempts. Given these relations, this study aims to understand the 5 strategies of thought control (distraction, punishment, reappraisal, worry, and social control) as predictors of BPD symptoms and suicide risk. MethodsThe sample was collected at a Southeastern University using a convenience sample of undergraduate participants. The final sample (n = 403) had an age range of 18 to 27 (M = 19.67, SD = 1.45), was 74.4% female and 25.6% male, and was primarily Caucasian (69.7%) and African American (24.8%). ResultsResults demonstrate that distraction was negatively associated with BPD and suicide risk while worry and punishment were positively associated with BPD and suicide risk across three different measures of BPD. Social control was negatively associated with suicide risk and BPD but only on one of the BPD measures. Lastly, reappraisal was positively related to BPD symptoms on two measures. LimitationsGiven the sample characteristics, there may be limitations in the generalizability of the findings. ConclusionsThe findings represent a first step towards examining thought control strategies as possible predictors of BPD symptoms and suicide that can inform clinical interventions designed to increase or decrease utilization of these specific strategies.

COVID-19 Pandemisi Sürecinde Ruminasyon ve Ruh Sağlığına Etkileri

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has been rapidly affecting the entire world, affects people physically, cognitively, spiritually, and socially due to its high contagiousness and mortality rates, its onset with asymptomatic symptoms, its unpredictable future, and the lack of a cure. These effects may result in individuals struggling intensely against various thoughts about the process. This repetitive and disturbing way of thinking, called rumination, which can occur in individuals’ stressful situations, can adversely affect their mental health. On the other hand, when ruminative thoughts are managed appropriately, they can empower individuals to exit the process and be replaced by positive thoughts. Therefore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to understand individuals’ ruminative thinking systems regarding the process. This review aimed to explain the concept of rumination during the COVID-19 pandemic and its possible effects on mental health.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COPING STYLES, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOM LEVELS AND CAREGIVER BURDEN IN CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITY

Parents of children with disabilities may have difficulty in adapting to the caregiving situation and this situation, called caregiver burden, has been reported to be related to coping styles. In our study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between caregiver burden, depression levels and coping styles in caregivers of children with disability. 84 caregivers of children with disability who applied to special care center were included into the study between 1 March 2018 and 1 May 2018. Sociodemographic data form, Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS-A), Ruminative Thought Style Questionnaire (RTSQ) and COPE Inventory were applied to the participants. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. According to Pearson Correlation Analysis, while a statistically significant positive correlation was found between RTSQ and BDI (r = 0.290), DAS-A (r = 0.242) and COPE subscale scores; there was also a statistically significant low positive correlation between ZBI and BDI (r = 0.338) and DAS-A (r = 0.235). As a result of the multiple linear regression analysis, the BDI total score and the training duration had a positive predictive effect on the total score of ZBI while the total score of the DAS-A, RTSQ and and COPE subscales did not have a significant predictive effect on ZBI. Considering our findings shows that the caregiver burden levels are not predicted by general ruminative thinking and dysfunctional attitudes and intermediate beliefs; it can be said that behavioral coping methods are more effective than cognitive processes on caregiver burden. Interventions targeting avoidance behaviors in may be more effective in improving the quality of life in caregivers.

Disaster-related media exposure and its impact on mental health.

Disaster-related media exposure and its impact on mental health.

Awareness and rumination moderate the affective pathway to paranoia in daily life

Numerous cross-sectional studies found psychosis to be associated with less awareness of emotions, a decreased use of adaptive (e.g. reappraisal) and an increased use of maladaptive emotion regulation (ER) strategies (e.g. suppression). In this study, we tested whether state levels of emotion awareness and momentary use of specific ER strategies moderate the link between negative affect at one timepoint (t-1) and paranoia at the next timepoint (t) in a six-day experience sampling study. Individuals with psychotic disorders (n = 71) reported on the presence of paranoia, negative affect, emotion awareness and the use of six ER strategies (reappraisal, acceptance, social sharing, distraction, suppression and rumination) ten times per day. Multilevel regression analysis revealed that higher awareness at t-1 reduced the association of negative affect at t-1 and paranoia at t, whereas rumination had an opposite, amplifying moderation effect. Our results provide novel insight into the conditions under which negative affect translates into delusional beliefs. The finding that emotion awareness and rumination have a relevant role corresponds with current psychological conceptualisations of psychosis and with the attempt to treat delusions by focusing on reducing ruminative thoughts. To investigate the causal effect, treatment trials with a focus on enhancing these components of emotion regulation are needed.

"The effects of interpersonal emotional expression, partner responsiveness, and emotional approach coping on stress responses": Correction to Kane et al. (2018).

Reports an error in "The effects of interpersonal emotional expression, partner responsiveness, and emotional approach coping on stress responses" by Heidi S. Kane, Joshua F. Wiley, Christine Dunkel Schetter and Theodore F. Robles (Emotion, Advanced Online Publication, Sep 27, 2018, np). In the article, two text call outs for figures are incorrect. At the end of the "Negative emotional responses" section under the "Psychological Stress Responses" heading, "(see Figure 7)" should have been deleted. Under the "Negative task-related ruminative thoughts" heading in that same section, "(see Figure 5)" in the first paragraph should be "(see Figure 7)." (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2018-47331-001.) Expressing emotions is a common strategy for coping with stress. Yet, little is known about the effects of using this strategy in close relationships, or when and for whom emotional expression is effective. This study examined romantic partner responsiveness and the dispositional tendency to use emotional approach coping (EAC; the processing and expression of emotions) as moderators of the effects of experimentally manipulated emotional expression on stress responses to a laboratory stressor. We brought couples (N = 145) to the lab and randomly assigned 1 partner (the participant) to perform a stressful task. We manipulated whether participants expressed their feelings about the task to their partner (expression vs. no-expression), and whether participants received supportive messages from their partners (as an indicator of partner responsiveness; support vs. no-support). We examined physiological stress responses (cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase [sAA]), negative emotional stress responses (anxiety and self-conscious emotions), and post-task ruminative thoughts. Participants high in EAC showed larger sAA and cortisol responses and reported more negative post-task ruminative thoughts after emotionally expressing to their partners, but partner support mitigated the effect on cortisol. Participants low in EAC showed smaller cortisol responses and reported less negative emotional responses and fewer negative post-task ruminative thoughts after emotionally expressing to their partners. Receiving partner support reduced negative emotional responses for people high in EAC, but increased negative emotional responses for those low in EAC. These results may help explain when and for whom emotional expression is an effective means of coping in the immediate context of a stressor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The effects of interpersonal emotional expression, partner responsiveness, and emotional approach coping on stress responses.

[Correction Notice: An Erratum for this article was reported online in Emotion on Sep 5 2019 (see record 2019-52812-001). In the article, two text call outs for figures are incorrect. At the end of the "Negative emotional responses" section under the "Psychological Stress Responses" heading, "(see Figure 7)" should have been deleted. Under the "Negative task-related ruminative thoughts" heading in that same section, "(see Figure 5)" in the first paragraph should be "(see Figure 7)."] Expressing emotions is a common strategy for coping with stress. Yet, little is known about the effects of using this strategy in close relationships, or when and for whom emotional expression is effective. This study examined romantic partner responsiveness and the dispositional tendency to use emotional approach coping (EAC; the processing and expression of emotions) as moderators of the effects of experimentally manipulated emotional expression on stress responses to a laboratory stressor. We brought couples (N = 145) to the lab and randomly assigned 1 partner (the participant) to perform a stressful task. We manipulated whether participants expressed their feelings about the task to their partner (expression vs. no-expression), and whether participants received supportive messages from their partners (as an indicator of partner responsiveness; support vs. no-support). We examined physiological stress responses (cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase [sAA]), negative emotional stress responses (anxiety and self-conscious emotions), and post-task ruminative thoughts. Participants high in EAC showed larger sAA and cortisol responses and reported more negative post-task ruminative thoughts after emotionally expressing to their partners, but partner support mitigated the effect on cortisol. Participants low in EAC showed smaller cortisol responses and reported less negative emotional responses and fewer negative post-task ruminative thoughts after emotionally expressing to their partners. Receiving partner support reduced negative emotional responses for people high in EAC, but increased negative emotional responses for those low in EAC. These results may help explain when and for whom emotional expression is an effective means of coping in the immediate context of a stressor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Appreciation and depressive symptoms: The moderating role of need satisfaction.

Research has shown that managers who recognize and acknowledge positive employee behaviors and achievements at work foster their health and well-being. In the present 3-wave study, we investigated appreciation from managers in the context of the progression of employees' depressive symptoms across 1 year. Building on self-determination theory, we examined employees' need satisfaction for autonomy, competence, and relatedness as moderating factors, and the mediating role of maladaptive coping (i.e., ruminative thoughts) in this relationship. Findings from 194 employees working in the energy branch of an international company revealed that high appreciation from one's manager was related to less depressive symptoms only for those individuals whose basic need for relatedness was more satisfied at work. We did not find moderator effects with respect to satisfaction of need for autonomy and competence. Further, moderated mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects for depressive symptoms for lower levels of need satisfaction of relatedness: Appreciation in the context of unsatisfying relationships at work made employees more likely to ruminate about negative events, which was related to more depressive symptoms in the long run. However, ruminative thoughts did not mediate the significant negative relationship between appreciation and depressive symptoms when needs for relatedness were satisfied. The study adds to the discussion that the potential positive impact of appreciation depends on how satisfying social relationships at work are experienced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The broad autism phenotype in real-life: clinical and functional correlates of autism spectrum symptoms and rumination among parents of patients with autism spectrum disorder.

Increasing literature reported higher rates of psychiatric disorders in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as of autistic-like features in social and cognitive functioning. However, little attention has been paid to the association between autistic traits (AT) and global functioning in this population. The aim of the present work was to investigate clinical and functional correlates of AT among parents of ASD children, with a specific focus on ruminative thinking. One hundred and twenty parents of ASD children were assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS). Subjects with at least 1 psychiatric disorder (39.2%) showed significantly higher AdAS Spectrum and RRS scores. Subjects with a history of school difficulties and with language development alterations scored significantly higher on specific AdAS Spectrum domains. A significant negative correlation was found between SOFAS and AdAS Spectrum scores, as well as between SOFAS and RRS scores. AdAS Spectrum nonverbal communication domain score was identified has a statistically predictive variable for the presence of psychiatric disorders and lower SOFAS scores. Finally, we found a significant indirect effect of AdAS total score on SOFAS score, which was fully mediated by RRS total score. AT in parents of ASD children seem to be associated with a higher vulnerability toward psychopathology and with a lower global functioning. Ruminative thinking may play a role in the relationship between AT and functional outcome.

The Effect of Ruminative Thinking of the Middle-aged on Generativity : Focused on the mediating effect of trait meta-mood and moderating effect of christian

The Effect of Ruminative Thinking of the Middle-aged on Generativity : Focused on the mediating effect of trait meta-mood and moderating effect of christian

“If only…”: Counterfactual thinking in bereavement

When grief over the death of a loved one becomes complicated, protracted and circular, ruminative counterfactual thinking in which the bereaved relentlessly but vainly seeks to somehow reverse the tragedy of the loss often plays a contributory role in sustaining the person’s suffering. In this article we summarize the growing evidence implicating this cognitive process in interfering with meaning reconstruction following loss, and identify four foci for counterfactual, “if only” cognition, directed at the self, the deceased, relevant others, or the circumstances of the death itself. We then illustrate each with an actual case vignette, along with approaches to resolving, dissolving, mitigating, or redirecting such rumination, and conclude with a general principle of practice for other therapists whose clients struggle with similarly anguished and entrenched counterfactual preoccupations.