Effects of rumination and distraction on naturally occurring depressed mood

TLDR

Participants (both mildly‑to‑moderately depressed and nondepressed) were randomly assigned to an 8‑minute rumination or distraction task. Rumination increased depressed mood while distraction decreased it in depressed participants, with no effect on nondepressed participants, supporting the hypothesis that rumination worsens and prolongs depression. Distraction shortens depressed mood.

Abstract

Abstract Mildly-to-moderately depressed and nondepressed subjects were randomly assigned to spend 8 minutes focusing their attention on their current feeling states and personal characteristics (rumination condition) or on descriptions of geographic locations and objects (distraction condition). Depressed subjects in the rumination condition became significantly more depressed, whereas depressed subjects in the distraction condition became significantly less depressed. Rumination and distraction did not affect the moods of nondepressed subjects. These results support the hypothesis that ruminative responses to depressed mood exacerbate and prolong depressed mood. whereas distracting response shorten depressed mood.