Repetitive thought (RT) involves frequent or prolonged thoughts about oneself and one's world, encompassing discrete forms such as trait worry, rumination, processing, and reminiscing. These forms of RT can be described using three basic, underlying qualities: total propensity for RT of all types, valence (positive versus negative content), and purpose (searching or uncertainty versus solving or certainty). The adaptiveness of discrete forms with regard to health is likely to be related to these qualities, particularly valence and total propensity. The present study confirmed the model and identified the relationship of these qualities of RT to subjective psychological, physical, and cognitive health in older adults aged 60-94 (N = 179). As predicted, more negatively valenced trait RT was associated with worse psychological, physical, and cognitive health. More total propensity for RT was associated only with worse psychological health. Searching purpose was associated only with worse cognitive health. In turn, negatively valenced RT was predicted by poorer executive functions, suggesting that such functions may be important for directing this quality of RT. The valence of older adults' RT is important insofar as it may contribute to their sense of good or ill health. However, the propensity for all kinds of RT to associate with poorer psychological health may reflect the co-occurrence of negative and positive RT, such as rumination and emotional processing. Although RT has not been extensively investigated in older adults, it appears to play an important role in their subjective health.
Keywordsworry; rumination; processing; health; executive functions Repetitive thought (RT), defined as "the process of thinking attentively, repetitively, or frequently about oneself and one's world" is an important determinant of psychological and physical well-being (Segerstrom, Stanton, Alden, & Shortridge, 2003, p. 909). Forms of RT such as worry and rumination both contemporaneously and prospectively increase negative mood states such as anxiety and depression and dysregulate physiological systems such as the cardiovascular and immune systems (e.g., Kubzansky, Kawachi, Spiro, Weiss, Vokonas, & Sparrow, 1997;Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991;Nolen-Hoeksema & Morrow, 1991;Pieper, Correspondence should be addressed to Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 115 Kastle Hall, Lexington, KY 40506-0044. Segerstrom@uky.edu . Publisher's Disclaimer: The following manuscript is the final accepted manuscript. It has not been subjected to the final copyediting, fact-checking, and proofreading required for formal publication. It is not the definitive, publisher-authenticated version. The American Psychological Association and its Council of Editors disclaim any responsibility or liabilities for errors or omissions of this manuscript version, any version derived from this manuscript by NIH, or other third parties. The published version is available at www.apa.org/pubs/journals/pag NIH Public Access
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