The role of rumination in posttraumatic growth in people struggling with cancer

Introduction: Cognitive processes, especially ruminations, play an important role in the emergence of the consequences of experienced traumatic events. The aim of the present study was to establish whether in people struggling with cancer there is an association between the degree of PTG and the level of deliberate and intrusive ruminations, occurring soon after the diagnosis of disease and currently, and whether deliberate ruminations play a mediating role between intrusive ruminations and PTG. Methods: The results of a survey of 71 persons with various kinds of cancer, aged 19-67 years (M = 48.63; SD = 12.71) were analyzed. The majority of respondents (60.57%) were women. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and the Event Related Rumination Inventory were used in the study. Results: The results indicated the presence of positive posttraumatic changes in the examined group. The results of mediation analyses indicate that current deliberate ruminations play a mediating role in the relationship between intrusive ruminations (soon after the event) and appreciation of life and between deliberate ruminations (soon after the event) and changes in relating to others. Conclusions: Encouraging people struggling with cancer to ruminate may foster growth after trauma.