COVID‐19 Rumination Scale (C‐19RS): Initial psychometric evidence in a sample of Dutch employees

Abstract

Objectives Starting with the spring of 2020, COVID‐19 pandemic has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives. Due to its threatening nature, along with the rapid rise in contamination and mortality figures, the spread of the virus has caused a considerable rise in individuals' anxieties. To enable the assessment of the COVID‐19‐triggered individual rumination, we developed and tested a COVID‐19 Rumination Scale (C‐19RS). Design and Methods Demographics (i.e., gender, age and education) and several items assessing the proximity of one's exposure to the virus (i.e., whether one's family and close friends are affected) were evaluated as antecedents of C‐19RS that provided evidence for the criterion validity of the scale. A sample of 523 Dutch employees working in different companies and sectors completed the online survey in March 2020. Results Results showed that women, older individuals and workers with lower educational level ruminated considerably more about COVID‐19. In keeping with prior theoretical and empirical work on stress and coping, we established that COVID‐19 ruminative thoughts can unlock withdrawal coping reactions (i.e., self‐handicapping) and drain individual's energy (i.e., causing emotional exhaustion), whereby providing evidence for the predictive validity of the new instrument. In addition, we examined how the COVID‐19 rumination evolved during the nearly 3‐week period of the data collection, a time‐frame that coincided with the introduction of the national restrictive measures in the Netherlands. Results showed a drop in the level of rumination, which might be indicative of potential habituation with the stressor. Conclusions The results supported the sound psychometric qualities of the scale.

The long-term buffering effect of sense of coherence on psychopathological symptoms during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective observational study

“…Therefore, our analyses included COVID-19-related rumination as indicator of subjective stressor severity ( Kovács et al, 2021 ). Building on previous research ( Flett et al, 2002 ; Nikolova et al, 2021 ), we assumed that ruminative thoughts would occur when stressors are perceived as unsolvable and overpowering, and that the occurrence of rumination was predictive of psychopathological symptoms ( Vanderhasselt et al, 2016 ). Following the rationale that resilience factors are of importance in more stressful si tuations ( Kalisch et al, 2019 ; 2015 ), we assumed SOC to be particularly important in those who experience high levels of COVID-19-related rumination.…”

COVID-19 Ruminasyon Ölçeğinin (C-19RS) Türkçeye Uyarlanması: COVID-19 Pandemisi Sürecinde Ruminasyon ve Tükenmişlik

“…On the other hand, Griffith (2020) stated that parental burnout is a risk factor for maltreatment of children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nikolova, Caniëls, and Curseu (2021) also found a significant relationship between COVID-19 Rumination and burnout.…”

“…For this, valid and reliable measurement tools that enable the evaluation of the psychological aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic are needed. In this study, it was aimed to adapt the COVID-19 Rumination Scale (C-19RS), developed by Nikolova et al (2021), into Turkish to evaluate the rumination levels of individuals triggered by COVID-19. In addition, it is another aim of this study to examine whether the level of Covid-19 rumination differs according to gender, economic loss, loss of acquaintances/relatives (human), and being active Covid-19 patients from acquaintances/relatives, and burnout levels.…”

Development and Validation of a Short Measure of Emotional, Physical, and Behavioral Markers of Eustress and Distress (MEDS)

“…A specific area of application of the short measure of eustress and distress is to better understand humans’ adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic [ 21 , 22 , 40 ]. On the one hand, it is clear that the constant focus of the media and public discourse on the threats associated with the pandemic generate ruminative tendencies that predict self-handicapping tendencies and exhaustion [ 43 ], ultimately reducing wellbeing [ 40 , 44 , 45 ]. On the other hand, the use of humor in interpersonal communication in relation to the pandemic reduces anxiety and negative mood in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic [ 20 ].…”