The role of rumination and positive beliefs about rumination in eating pathology

PURPOSE: General and eating disorder (ED)-specific ruminations have been identified as key factors that may contribute to eating pathology. Positive beliefs about rumination (e.g., "Ruminating helps me to prevent future mistakes") may impact this association. However, the effect of positive beliefs about rumination on the links between rumination and ED symptom severity has not been investigated. This study sought to clarify relations between rumination and ED symptom severity and to evaluate the potential moderating effect of positive beliefs about rumination on these associations.

METHODS: During a laboratory visit, undergraduate participants (N = 473, M Age  = 18.90 ± 2.27, M BMI  = 23.45 kg/m 2  ± 4.31, 54.8% female) completed an online battery of questionnaires assessing general and ED-specific ruminative processes (e.g., brooding, reflection), positive beliefs about rumination, and global ED symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses assessed the unique contributions of specific ruminative processes, and the moderating effect of positive beliefs on associations between ruminative processes and ED symptom severity.

RESULTS: Hierarchical multiple regression results suggest that, after controlling for gender and BMI, ED-specific brooding, b = 1.32, SE = 0.13, β = 0.46, p < 0.0001, and reflection, b = 1.44, SE = 0.33, β = 0.19, p < 0.0001, accounted for unique variance in ED symptom severity. Moderation model results indicate that, at low levels of general reflection, b = - 0.06, SE = 0.02, β = - 0.51, p = 0.003, and ED-specific reflection, b = - 0.15, SE = 0.03, β = - 0.59, p < 0.0001, increased positive beliefs about rumination were associated with greater ED symptom severity.

CONCLUSION: Findings suggest ED-specific rumination accounts for ED symptom severity above and beyond general rumination, and that rumination-related expectancies influence the association between reflection and ED symptom severity.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, evidence obtained from a well-designed cohort study.