Rumination and psychological treatments for depression

Brooks, Alexander Lewis

Abstract

The portfolio has three parts. Parts one and two are conceptually linked by their focus on rumination in the mechanisms of action of psychological treatments for depression.

Part one is a systematic literature review. One proposed mechanism of action for mindfulness-based interventions is that they enable individuals to disengage from automatic and maladaptive ruminative responses to relatively small dips in mood, reducing the likelihood of depressive relapse and reducing depressive symptoms. The systematic literature review examines the clinical evidence for whether mindfulness-based interventions reduce rumination in depression.

Part two is an empirical paper. Two proposed mechanisms of action for rumination-focused cognitive behaviour therapy are that it reduces depressive rumination and that it increases concreteness of thinking. However, these mechanisms need not be mutually exclusive. The empirical paper reports on an experiment that explored the relationship between depressive rumination and concreteness of thinking. It was hoped that the results would contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the mechanisms of action of rumination-focused cognitive behaviour therapy.

Part three comprises the appendices.

Citation

Brooks, A. L. Rumination and psychological treatments for depression. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4214793

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Nov 27, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2023
• Keywords: Clinical psychology
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4214793
• Additional Information: Department of Clinical Psychology, The University of Hull
• Award Date: May 1, 2013