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Effects of rumination on intrusive memories: does processing mode matter?
Andreas Santa Maria1, Felix Reichert, Susanna B Hummel
1Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|February 21, 2012
Summary
Thinking abstractly about negative events prolongs intrusive memories and hinders recovery from distress. Concrete thinking, however, aids in reducing intrusive memories and promotes faster recovery, suggesting abstractness drives rumination
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Excessive rumination after trauma can maintain posttraumatic stress symptoms.
- Not all repetitive thinking about negative events is dysfunctional.
- The abstractness of thought may be key to its symptom-maintaining effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally test the hypothesis that abstract thinking exacerbates posttraumatic stress.
- To investigate the differential effects of abstract-evaluative versus concrete-experiential thinking on intrusive memories.
Main Methods:
- An experimental analogue design was employed with 57 participants who experienced a recent negative life event.
- Participants engaged in either abstract-evaluative or concrete-experiential writing about their experience.
- Intrusive memories were assessed during the session and for 36 hours post-session.
Main Results:
- Participants using abstract-evaluative thinking showed less reduction in intrusive memories during the session.
- The abstract-evaluative group exhibited slower recovery from intrusive memories in the 36 hours following the session.
- Concrete-experiential thinking was associated with better reduction and recovery of intrusive memories.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the hypothesis that abstractness of thinking contributes to the dysfunctional impact of rumination on distressing events.
- Abstract thinking appears to be responsible for the symptom-maintaining effects of rumination.
- Further replication with trauma survivors is needed to confirm these results.
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