Positive beliefs about rumination in depressed and non-depressed pregnant women: a preliminary investigation

• Published in: Journal of reproductive and infant psychology Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 54 - 60
• Main Authors: Isa Alfaraj, Ali M.A., Spada, Marcantonio M., Nikčević, Ana V., Puffett, Alison, Meer, Sadeeqa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.02.2009; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Belief & doubt; Biological and medical sciences; Depression; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gynecology and obstetrics; Medical sciences; Mental depression; Mood disorders; perceived lack of social support; positive beliefs about rumination; Pregnancy; pregnant women; Psychology and medicine; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Regression analysis; rumination; Social support; Women; Mood disorder; Belief; Pregnancy; Human; Depression; Female; Rumination; Woman; Social support
• ISSN: 0264-6838; 1469-672X
• DOI: 10.1080/02646830701759678

No research to date has examined the presence of positive beliefs about rumination in depressed pregnant women. Exploring these beliefs among pregnant women is important because such beliefs have been identified as useful targets for intervention aimed at reducing depressive symptoms more generally. The present study examined positive beliefs about rumination in depressed and non-depressed pregnant women. A sample of 21 depressed and 22 non-depressed women were compared on measures of positive beliefs about rumination, controlling for perceived lack of social support. Mann-Whitney U tests and logistic regression analysis were performed on the data. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed that both positive beliefs about rumination and perceived lack of social support scores were significantly higher for depressed than non-depressed women. The logistic regression analysis indicated that positive beliefs about rumination were a predictor of depression classification over and above perceived lack of social support. These findings suggest that targeting positive beliefs about rumination may be a useful intervention for tackling depression in pregnancy.