Positive Beliefs about Depressive Rumination: Development and Preliminary Validation of a Self-Report Scale

Despite the negative consequences of depressive rumination, little is known about the factors that may be linked to a predisposition to ruminate. Wells and Matthews (1994) suggested that rumination is associated with underlying metacognitive beliefs. Papageorgiou and Wells (in press) provided evidence for the presence of positive and negative metacognitive beliefs about rumination in recurrent major depression. A series of studies concerned with the development and validation of a measure of positive beliefs about rumination, the Positive Beliefs About Rumination Scale (PBRS), is reported. Factor analyses of the scale demonstrated a single factor. The PBRS showed high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and good psychometric properties of concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity. The scale was used to test relations between positive beliefs, rumination, and depression. The results were consistent with path models in which rumination mediated the effects of positive beliefs about rumination on state and trait depression.