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Rumination and cigarette smoking: a bad combination for depressive outcomes?
M Richmond1, B Spring, B K Sommerfeld
1Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60607, USA.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
|October 30, 2001
Summary
Smokers who ruminate experience more depressive symptoms than non-smokers. Nicotine may worsen depressed mood in ruminative smokers by increasing focus on negative thoughts.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Ruminative coping is a known risk factor for depression.
- Smoking is prevalent among individuals with depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between rumination, smoking status, and depressive symptoms.
- To test the hypothesis that smokers who ruminate experience greater depressive symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study with 145 participants.
- Self-report measures for smoking status, rumination, and depressive symptoms (current and lifetime).
Main Results:
- Rumination explained more variance in depressive symptoms among smokers compared to non-smokers.
- This effect was observed for both current and past depressed mood, and lifetime depressive symptom severity.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest a potential interaction between rumination and smoking in exacerbating depression.
- Further experimental research is needed to determine if nicotine directly worsens depressed mood in ruminative smokers.