Posttraumatic stress symptoms and rumination: the moderator effect of time

The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) and rumination (intrusive and deliberate) in individuals who experienced a traumatic event at different times. In particular, to better understand the possible mechanisms underlying the association between PTSS and rumination, the study aimed to explore whether the time since the traumatic event could serve as a moderator of the relationship between PTSS and rumination. To achieve this objective, 601 participants were recruited using a snowballing strategy and were asked to complete the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5 and the Event-Related Rumination Inventory. Results of regression analyses showed that intrusive rumination was associated with the presence of PTSS regardless of the time since the event. Conversely, deliberate rumination was found to be significantly related to the presence of PTSS, but this association was moderated by time. From a clinical point of view, it appears particularly useful, when treating an individual with PTSS, to consider not only the type of trauma and the time elapsed since the event but also the type of cognitive re-elaboration that the individual enacts.