Effects of self-focused rumination on negative thinking and interpersonal problem solving.

Abstract

Hypotheses about the effects of self-focused rumination on interpretations of events and interpersonal problem solving were tested in 3 studies with dysphoric and nondysphoric participants. Study 1 supported the hypothesis that dysphoric participants induced to ruminatively self-focus on their feelings and personal characteristics would endorse more negative, biased interpretations of hypothetical situations than dysphoric participants induced to distract themselves from their mood, or nondysphoric participants. Study 2 showed that dysphoric participants who ruminated were more pessimistic about positive events in their future than the other 3 groups. Study 3 showed that dysphoric ruminating participants generated less effective solutions to interpersonal problems than the other 3 groups. In Studies 1 and 3, dysphoric ruminating participants also offered the most pessimistic explanations for interpersonal problems and hypothetical negative events. In all 3 studies, dysphoric participants who distracted were as optimistic and effective in solving problems as non-dysphoric participants.

Am I Blue? Depressed Mood and the Consequences of Self-Focus for the Interpretation and Recall of Ambiguous Words

“…By using Nolen-Hoeksema and , 1995. Evidence for effects on memory tasks has also been obtained by using thought-induction procedures.…”

Dysphorics can control depressive mood’s informational impact on effort mobilization

“…Our findings demonstrate thatin a non-clinical sample-these problems can be overridden by an explicit and direct instruction. Thus, control of mood influences is possible in dysphoric individuals (see also Hertel 2000;Lyubomirsky and Nolen-Hoeksema 1995;Pyszczynski et al 1989, for examples of overcoming self-regulation deficits in depression and dysphoria).…”

Chewing on It Can Chew You Up: Effects of Rumination on Triggered Displaced Aggression.

“…Rumination has been defined as self-focused attention toward one's thoughts and feelings (Lyubomirsky & Nolen-Hoeksema, 1995). Rumination can also be defined more narrowly as provocation-focused thought.…”