Research Article
Posttraumatic Rumination: Content, Correlates, and Processes
Christine E. Valdez,
Michelle M. Lilly,
Corresponding Author
Christine E. Valdez
California State University, Monterey Bay
Please address correspondence to: Christine E. Valdez, California State University, Monterey Bay, 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA 93955. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorChristine E. Valdez,
Michelle M. Lilly,
Corresponding Author
Christine E. Valdez
California State University, Monterey Bay
Please address correspondence to: Christine E. Valdez, California State University, Monterey Bay, 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA 93955. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorThis research was funded in part by the Center for the Family of Violence and Sexual Assault at Northern Illinois University as part of a dissertation grant awarded to the first author.
Abstract
Objective
Trauma-related rumination (i.e., repetitive and recurrent thinking about trauma and its consequences) has shown to predict the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, though little is known about its characteristics. The purpose of this study was to examine trauma-related ruminative content, correlates, and processes during a trauma-specific repetitive thinking interview.
Method
A total of 63 female survivors of violence completed questionnaires assessing trauma-related pathology and participated in a trauma-specific repetitive thinking interview, which was qualitatively coded.
Results
Most participants expressed problematic (i.e., assimilated and overaccommodated) trauma beliefs during the interview, which were associated with baseline posttraumatic sequelae. Reexperiencing symptoms mediated the relation between a brooding response style and expressed problematic trauma beliefs. State negative emotions were associated with ruminative processes during the interview and predicted negative emotions after the interview.
Conclusion
Maladaptive trauma-related rumination is characterized by perseveration on problematic trauma beliefs. Implications for treatment are discussed.
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