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Positive and Negative Beliefs About Depressive Rumination: A Psychometric Evaluation of Two Self-Report Scales and a Test of a Clinical Metacognitive Model of Rumination and Depression

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Abstract

The present study sought to investigate psychometric properties of the Positive Beliefs about Rumination Scale (PBRS) and the Negative Beliefs about Rumination Scale (NBRS), two self-report measures of metacognitive beliefs of depressive rumination, in patients with major depressive disorder (N = 179). Confirmatory factor analysis of the PBRS showed good fit of the hypothesized one-factor model. The previously proposed two-factor model of the NBRS was supported after implementation of some modifications. The scales showed adequate to good internal consistency and validity was supported on some indices. Finally, the metacognitive model of rumination and depression was tested by means of structural equation modeling. After implementation of some theoretically consistent modifications, the model provided a good fit to the data. Clinical implications of the findings, including the implementation of a metacognitive-focused cognitive therapy of depression, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to the members of the mood disorders program of the community mental health center Maastricht (RIAGG Maastricht), The Netherlands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Jeffrey Roelofs, Marcus Huibers & Arnoud Arntz

  2. Community Mental Health Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Marcus Huibers, Frenk Peeters & Arnoud Arntz

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Frenk Peeters

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Jim van Os

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  1. Jeffrey Roelofs
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  2. Marcus Huibers
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  4. Arnoud Arntz
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  5. Jim van Os
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Correspondence to Jeffrey Roelofs.

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Roelofs, J., Huibers, M., Peeters, F. et al. Positive and Negative Beliefs About Depressive Rumination: A Psychometric Evaluation of Two Self-Report Scales and a Test of a Clinical Metacognitive Model of Rumination and Depression. Cogn Ther Res 34, 196–205 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-009-9244-z

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