Background
Rumination plays a major role in various forms of psychopathology. In a recent study, we tested the main predictions of the key processes that drive rumination from major metacognitive and self-regulation theories of rumination by using a data-driven network analytical approach. This study aimed to replicate these findings and extend the approach to worry.
Methods
The study followed the original procedures. Participants were recruited from Academic Prolific (n = 500, 241 men and 257 women, age range 18–85).
Results
The current study largely replicated the original findings. The regularized partial correlation network for rumination did not significantly differ from the one obtained in the original study in terms of network structure (network structure invariance: M = 0.16, p < .96) and level of connectivity (global strength invariance: S = 0.235, p < .69). Bayesian network analysis replicated the main results from the first study: positive beliefs about rumination, cognitive self-consciousness, and effortful control were directly linked to rumination. Moreover, we found potential causal links from depression and perfectionism to rumination. We applied a similar approach to explore the mechanisms behind worry. The results suggest a moderate correlation between worry and rumination (r = .68, p < .05) and some specificity to the mechanisms governing worry.
Conclusions
There are multiple cognitive factors that are directly linked to rumination and worry. This study is the first to replicate an integrated network that captures the cognitive building blocks of rumination, and to test its extension to worry. These findings provide empirical proof for the reliability of the rumination network and support the integrative theories of rumination and related psychopathology.