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Adaptive and maladaptive rumination after loss: A three-wave longitudinal study.

Maarten C Eisma¹, Henk A W Schut, Maggie S Stroebe

¹Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

The British Journal of Clinical Psychology

|September 18, 2014

Summary

This study distinguishes adaptive and maladaptive rumination after bereavement, finding that grief rumination is more impactful than depressive rumination on complicated grief and depression symptoms.

Keywords:

bereavement brooding depression prolonged grief reflection repetitive thinking rumination

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Bereavement Studies

Background:

Rumination is a known risk factor for complicated grief and depression following bereavement.
Existing research suggests rumination may have adaptive and maladaptive subtypes, but this has been underexplored in the context of grief.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether functional (adaptive) and dysfunctional (maladaptive) forms of rumination can be differentiated in individuals experiencing bereavement.
To examine the associations between subtypes of depressive and grief rumination and symptom levels of complicated grief and depression.

Main Methods:

Two hundred forty-two adults who had lost a first-degree relative were assessed using questionnaires at three time points, spaced six months apart.
Multiple regression analyses, controlling for relevant covariates, were employed to analyze the data.

Main Results:

Grief rumination explained more variance in symptom levels than depressive rumination.
Rumination about injustice was linked to higher concurrent and prospective complicated grief and depression symptoms.
Rumination about emotional reactions and reflection were associated with prospective reductions in complicated grief and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions:

Adaptive and maladaptive rumination subtypes can be identified in bereaved individuals.
Therapeutic interventions for complicated grief could be enhanced by targeting maladaptive rumination and promoting adaptive rumination.