Rumination as a mechanism of the association between interpretation bias and depression symptoms: A longitudinal investigation

Abstract

Depression is a common problem with debilitating effects. Both negative interpretation biases and rumination are related to depression, but how these factors interact to produce depression is unclear. Prior cross-sectional research indicates that negative interpretation biases have an indirect effect on depression symptoms through rumination, but to date, no longitudinal studies have examined this indirect effect, and prior studies have not differentiated between rumination subtypes. To examine these questions, data were collected online at three time points from undergraduates. Simple mediational models examined whether negative interpretation bias had an indirect effect on depression symptoms through rumination and rumination subtypes (brooding and reflection), and reverse models examined direction of effects. Cross-sectional analysis supported prior findings that interpretation bias had an indirect effect on depression symptoms through rumination, β = −.19, 95%CI [−.23, −.14], through both brooding, β = −.14, 95%CI [−.18, −.10], and reflection subtypes, β = −.09, 95%CI [−.12, −.05]. However, longitudinal analyses found no indirect effects of interpretation bias on depression symptoms through rumination, β = −.02, 95%CI [−.07, .02]; brooding: β = −.02, 95%CI [−.06, .01], reflection: β = .01, 95%CI [−.02, .04]. These longitudinal results contradict findings that cognitive biases lead to depression symptoms through rumination. The complex interplay between cognitive biases, rumination, and depression remains an important direction for future research.

The role of cognitive biases and negative life events in predicting later depressive symptoms in children and adolescents

“…The finding that IB predicted later symptoms of depression was in line with our predictions and replicates previous findings in adults (Everaert et al, 2015;Normansell & Wisco, 2017;Rude et al, 2003) as well as adolescents (Songco et al, 2020), although it should be noted one study found no predictive role of IB (Wisco & Harp, 2021). Our findings also supplement experimental (e.g.…”

“…Negative IB has also been found to prospectively predict the severity of symptoms of depression and onset of MDD in unselected adult samples (Kleim et al, 2014; Normansell & Wisco, 2017; Rude et al, 2002; 2003; 2010; Sugita & Yoshimura, 2022), although one study of unselected adults failed to replicate these findings (Wisco & Harp, 2021). More recent studies have found that positive (Kleim et al, 2014) and negative (Sugita & Yoshimura, 2022) baseline IB predicts later symptoms of depression over and above the effect of baseline depression symptoms.…”

The Status and Prospects of Research on Interpretation Bias

“…Individuals with varying interpretive biases exhibit divergent effects on emotions, cognitions, and behaviors. Firstly, emotional impacts are observed, wherein individuals possessing a positive interpretive bias tend to ameliorate social anxiety symptoms [40] , whereas those with a negative interpretive bias may foster increased rumination experiences [41] and susceptibility to The Frontiers of Society, Science and Technology ISSN 2616-7433 Vol. 6, Issue 5: 6-12, DOI: 10.25236/FSST.2024.060502…”