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Positive Beliefs about Rumination Are Associated with Ruminative Thinking and Affect in Daily Life: Evidence for a Metacognitive View on Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2013

Thomas Kubiak ,
Daniela Zahn ,
Kerstin Siewert ,
Cornelia Jonas  and
Hannelore Weber
Thomas Kubiak*
Affiliation:
Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, and University of Greifswald, Germany
Daniela Zahn
Affiliation:
Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
Kerstin Siewert
Affiliation:
University of Greifswald, Germany
Cornelia Jonas
Affiliation:
University of Greifswald, Germany
Hannelore Weber
Affiliation:
University of Greifswald, Germany
*
Reprint requests to Thomas Kubiak, Institute of Psychology, Health Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Binger Str. 14-16, D-55099 Mainz, Germany. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background: Self-regulatory executive function theory (Wells and Matthews, 1994; Wells, 2008) stresses the role of metacognitions in the development of emotional disorders. Within this metacognitive model, positive beliefs about ruminative thinking are thought to be a risk factor for engaging in rumination and subsequently for depression. However, most of the existing research relies on retrospective self-report trait measures. Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the theory's predictions with an Ecological Momentary Assessment approach capturing rumination as it occurs in daily life. Method: Non-clinical participants (N = 93) were equipped with electronic diaries and completed four signal-contingent momentary self-reports per day for 4 weeks. A multilevel mediation model was computed to examine associations between positive beliefs about rumination and ruminative thinking and negative affect in daily life. Results: Positive beliefs about rumination were significantly associated with ruminative thinking as it occurs in daily life. We further found evidence for a negative association with positive affect that was completely mediated via ruminative thinking in daily life occurring in response to negative emotions. Conclusions: Our results add ecologically valid corroborating evidence for the metacognitive model of emotional disorders within the framework of self-regulatory executive function theory.

Keywords

RuminationmetacognitionemotionEcological Momentary Assessment
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 42 , Issue 5 , September 2014 , pp. 568 - 576
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2013 

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