Rumination and its Consequences in Depression

Depression is characterised by a tendency to engage in maladaptive repetitive thinking in the form of depressive rumination. There is much empirical evidence that individuals who engage in depressive rumination when they are in a sad mood are more likely to become clinically depressed, and stay depressed for longer.

There is also evidence that it is not ruminating per se that is problematic for depressed individuals; rather, that engaging in rumination which is abstract/evaluative has adverse effects. I will present the findings of a series of studies in which we have investigated the role and impact of rumination in depressed and formerly depressed individuals; in particular, the implications of ruminative thinking for emotional memories. I will also describe a new line of collaborative research in which we are examining the role of rumination in postnatal psychological adjustment.