The relationship between rumination, posttraumatic stress disorder, and posttraumatic growth among Chinese adolescents after earthquake: A longitudinal study.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) can coexist in individuals following traumatic experiences, and cognitive pathways to PTSD and PTG can be different. Nevertheless, to date, no study using the longitudinal-design has examine the cognitive process of PTSD and PTG, nor has the specific causal relation between cognitive factors and PTSD/PTG been clarified in the aftermath of disaster. Therefore, the aim of this study was to extend previous study from a longitudinal perspective, and further examine the possible cognitive mechanism of PTSD and PTG in a long-time frame after earthquake. 310 middle school students in Lushan County were assessed using the Event-Related Rumination Inventory, the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory and the Child PTSD Symptom Scale at 6 months (T1), 12 months (T2) and 18 months (T3) after the Ya'an earthquake. Intrusive rumination at T2 partly mediated the relationship of intrusive rumination at T1 to PTSD but not PTG at T3. Deliberate rumination at T2 did not mediate the relationship of intrusive rumination at T1 and PTG/PTSD at T3 but completely mediated the relation of intrusive rumination at T2 and PTSD/PTG at T3. All variables were measured by self-report scales. Intrusive rumination at T1 had an effect on PTSD but not PTG at T3 through intrusive rumination at T2, and it could affect PTSD and PTG at T3 through deliberate rumination at T2. These results suggest that PTSD and PTG are influenced by different mechanisms and that intrusive rumination leads to PTSD, whereas deliberate rumination elicits PTG in a long time after trauma.

Zhou X ，Wu X 《-》

Longitudinal relationships between gratitude, deliberate rumination, and posttraumatic growth in adolescents following the Wenchuan earthquake in China.

To examine the longitudinal relationship between gratitude, deliberate rumination and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in the adolescent survivors after the Wenchuan earthquake, 217 adolescent survivors were randomly selected from several primary and secondary schools in the county of Wenchuan, and were assessed by questionnaires at three and a half years (T1), four and a half years (T2), five and a half years (T3) after the Wenchuan earthquake, respectively. The results found that there was a one-way predictive relationship of gratitude onto PTG from T1 to T3, and gratitude predicted deliberate rumination from T1 to T2 but not T2 to T3. Deliberate rumination only had a significant positive effect on PTG from T2 to T3, and PTG only predicted deliberate rumination from T1 to T2. These results indicated that gratitude could be a stable predictive factor for the development of PTG, and gratitude could also affect PTG by deliberate rumination. In addition, the predictive effect between deliberate rumination and PTG is unstable with time change.

Zhou X ，Wu X 《-》

Core belief challenge and rumination as predictors of PTSD and PTG among adolescent survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake.

Middle school students in Wenchuan County (N = 354) were assessed 4.5 years after the Wenchuan earthquake to examine the effects of challenges to core beliefs, intrusive rumination, and deliberate rumination on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG). The results indicated that intrusive rumination partly mediated the relationship between challenges to core beliefs and PTSD, whereas deliberate rumination partly mediated both the relationship between challenges to core beliefs and PTG, as well as the relationship between intrusive rumination and PTG. These findings suggest that challenges to core beliefs had a direct positive impact on both PTSD and PTG. Moreover, such challenges predicted PTSD through intrusive rumination and predicted PTG through deliberate rumination. Furthermore, intrusive rumination might cue individuals to engage in a more purposive deliberate rumination process. These results indicate that PTSD and PTG are influenced by different mechanisms and that PTSD and PTG represent 2 separate dimensions of experience following adversity.

Zhou X ，Wu X ，Fu F ，An Y ... -  《-》

Rumination mediates the relationships of fear and guilt to posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth among adolescents after the Ya'an earthquake.

Background: Although previous research has demonstrated that fear and guilt have an effect on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is still unclear how these two emotions affect posttraumatic growth (PTG). Moreover, few studies have examined the mechanisms by which fear and guilt affect PTSD and PTG. Guided by Lee et al.'s theory of PTSD generation mechanisms and Calhoun and Tedeschi's PTG theory, the current study proposes that intrusive rumination (IR) and deliberate rumination (DR) may play a mediating role in the effects of guilt and fear on PTSD and PTG. Objective: This study aimed to simultaneously examine the mediating roles of IR and DR in the relationship between fear, guilt, PTSD, and PTG. Method: This study employed a two-wave longitudinal design. A total of 408 adolescent survivors were assessed using self-report questionnaires after the Ya'an earthquake in China. Measures were obtained for trauma exposure, subjective fear, survivor guilt, IR, and DR at three and a half years after the Ya'an earthquake (Time 1), while PTSD and PTG were assessed at time point four and a half years after the Ya'an earthquake (Time 2). Results: The results showed that both fear and guilt had a direct and positive effect on PTSD and PTG. Fear and guilt were positive predictors of PTSD and negative predictors of PTG through the mediating variable of IR. DR mediated the relationship between guilt and PTG but not PTSD, and also mediated the relationship between IR and PTG. Conclusions: Study findings indicate that fear, guilt, and intrusive rumination may contribute to PTSD symptoms in adolescent trauma survivors. Results also suggest that adolescent survivors can grow emotionally and psychologically following traumatic events, and that directed rumination may contribute to such growth. Interventions that reduce fear, guilt, and intrusive rumination while increasing directed rumination may assist adolescent trauma survivors in recovery and growth.

Wang W ，Wu X ，Lan X 《European Journal of Psychotraumatology》

The role of rumination in posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth among adolescents after the wenchuan earthquake.

Wu X ，Zhou X ，Wu Y ，An Y ... -  《Frontiers in Psychology》