Ruminative response in clinical patients with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders

There is a growing interest in the transdiagnostic trait of rumination. However, few studies have directly examined the ruminative response in the diagnosis of disorders other than major depression, such as anxiety disorders and bipolar disorders. Even fewer studies have done so in a large, clinical sample.

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BPD), panic disorder with/without agoraphobia (PD), and generalized anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (GAD/OCD) were compared using the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A).

The PD group displayed the lowest levels of rumination even when depression and anxiety symptoms were treated as a covariate. The BPD group displayed higher levels of rumination than the MDD group.

A heightened ruminative response was not only found among individuals with MDD, but also among those with BPD and GAD/OCD; this might indicate ineffective thought control.