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PAST- AND FUTURE- ORIENTED COGNITIONS IN PTSD: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUMINATION AND WORRY IN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS
Title
PAST- AND FUTURE- ORIENTED COGNITIONS IN PTSD: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUMINATION AND WORRY IN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS
Creator
Stickney, Laurie
Date
2016, 2016-07
Description
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex disorder characterized by symptoms of both anxiety and depression. Likewise, individuals...
Show morePost-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex disorder characterized by symptoms of both anxiety and depression. Likewise, individuals with PTSD experience Repetitive Negative Cognitions in the form of rumination and worry that may be focused on the past, present, or future. Although cognitions in individuals with PTSD have been studied, there is some question as to what types of cognitions individuals with PTSD generally experience and to what extent different types of cognitions contribute to different PTSD symptomatology. Further, although worry and rumination in PTSD have been studied, the question of the importance of the time-focus of cognitions in PTSD has not been adequately addressed. Time-focused cognitions and the relationships among depression, anxiety, rumination and worry were examined in this study using experience sampling method. Participants were asked to fill out a short survey measuring depression, anxiety, rumination, worry and time-focus five times per day for seven days. Results indicated that the presence of Current-focused cognitions strengthened the relationship between worry and anxiety compared to Future-focused cognitions. These findings suggest that in terms of the relationship between anxiety and worry, it is current-focus that is important not future-focus. Additionally, worry partially mediated the relationship between rumination and anxiety, and rumination partially mediated the relationship between worry and depression. Overall, the results suggest that time-focus may be important in some areas of PTSD, and the study highlights the complex relationships among depression, anxiety, rumination, worry and time-focused cognitions.
Ph.D. in Psychology, July 2016
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RUMINATION AS A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH COGNITIVE VULNERABILITIES ARE RELATED TO NEGATIVE AFFECT ON BOTH THE TRAIT- AND STATE-LEVEL
Title
RUMINATION AS A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH COGNITIVE VULNERABILITIES ARE RELATED TO NEGATIVE AFFECT ON BOTH THE TRAIT- AND STATE-LEVEL
Creator
Hutman, Paul J.
Date
2017, 2017-07
Description
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it reviewed the empirical and theoretical literature on rumination as well as three cognitive...
Show moreThe purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it reviewed the empirical and theoretical literature on rumination as well as three cognitive vulnerabilities (intolerance of uncertainty, positive meta-cognitive beliefs about rumination, and thought suppression) associated with negative emotionality. Second, this paper tested trait- and state-level hypotheses that posit (a) rumination is a mediator that connects the three cognitive vulnerabilities to general negative affect and (b) each cognitive vulnerability has a unique relationship to rumination. Rumination is a transdiagnostic and passive, repetitive thought process known to incite and perpetuate a number of negative emotional states and hinder instrumental behavior (e.g., treatment adherence and social support). Although mainly studied as a trait-like tendency, research studying the act of ruminating found it to be a ubiquitous process, experienced as self-focused, unpleasant, and uncontrollable. Ruminating has a number of precipitants (cognitive avoidance, experiencing acute stress, and receiving negative feedback), occurs more often in those experiencing depression, and is associated with inciting or exacerbating negative emotional states (regardless of one’s diagnostic status). To test hypotheses, data was gathered from 77 adults, half reporting a mental health diagnosis, who reported on the intensity with which they experience the cognitive vulnerabilities, rumination, and negative affect on both the trait- and state-level. Findings support rumination as a process through which cognitive vulnerabilities are connected to negative emotionality. Findings indicate all cognitive vulnerabilities were uniquely predictive of rumination when measured as a trait, but only thought suppression uniquely predicted the act of ruminating. Emphasis was placed on discussion of the theoretical and clinical implications of these findings and potential directions for future research.
Ph.D. in Psychology, July 2017
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