Cited by 67Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesMindfulness and Compassion Interventions

Does rumination mediate the relationship between attentional control and symptoms of depression?

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DeJong, Hannah, Fox, Elaine, Stein, Alan·2019·Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It has been suggested that impaired attentional control (AC) promotes the use of maladaptive emotional regulation strategies, such as rumination, with subsequent increase in risk of depression. METHOD: This study examined this hypothesis in a healthy community sample. Questionnaire measures of depression, anxiety, rumination and self-reported AC (shifting and focusing) were used, as well as an attention performance task (Attention Network Task; ANT). RESULTS: While self-report and performance measures of AC were not significantly related, both depression and rumination were associated with reduced self-reported AC. Depression was specifically associated with poorer attentional shifting. Depression and brooding were also associated with better performance on the conflict component of the ANT. Importantly, the relationships of ANT conflict and self-reported AC to depression were mediated by brooding. LIMITATIONS: The current study used a community sample, and it is unclear if results would generalise to a clinical population. All measures were taken concurrently and so it is not possible to confidently ascertain causality or direction of effects. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with the suggestion that impaired AC, particularly a narrow and inflexible attentional focus, may increase risk of depression by promoting ruminative thinking. The results highlight the importance of considering both self-report and performance measures of AC, as well as different components of attentional performance.

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Authors
DeJong, H., Fox, E., & Stein, A.
Affiliations
  • Warneford Hospital (GB)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author
DeJong, Hannah
Venue
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-06
Volume
63
Pages
28-35
ISSN
0005-7916 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2905721823
Cited by
67
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 2
FWCI
6.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (106284/Z/14/Z)
  • European Research Council (324176)
  • National Institute for Health Research Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
Keywords
rumination, brooding, attentional control, depression, attentional shift, attentional focus, emotion regulation, Attention Network Task, conflict processing, mediation, anxiety
MeSH terms
Self-Control, Rumination, Cognitive, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Attention, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Psychomotor Performance, Young Adult, Self Report

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