Associations of rumination with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts amongst individuals with major depressive disorder: A 12-month longitudinal study in China

Abstract

Background

This study aimed to explore the longitudinal associations of rumination with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods

Participants were derived from the Depression Cohort in China study (DCC). Those who completed at least one follow-up visit during the 12 months were included in the analysis. Dimensions of rumination including brooding and reflection were each measured using five items of the Ruminative Responses Scale. Suicidal ideation was assessed using the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation. Suicide attempts were also assessed and all were analyzed with generalized estimating equations.

Results

Our final sample included 532 participants aged 18 to 59 years (mean [SD], 26.91 [6.94] years) consisting of 148 (27.8%) males and 384 (72.2%) females. After adjusting for temporal trend and potential confounders, individuals with higher levels of reflection were more likely to report suicidal ideation (AOR =1.11, 95% CI:1.01–1.22). However, no statistically significant association was found between brooding and suicidal ideation (AOR =1.06, 95% CI:0.96–1.17). Conversely, individuals with higher levels of brooding were more likely to report suicide attempts (AOR =1.13, 95% CI:1.02–1.24), while no statistically significant association was observed between reflection and suicide attempts (AOR =0.91, 95% CI:0.82–1.01).

Conclusion

Rumination reflects a disturbance in cognitive emotional processing and manifests in different dimensions. Our findings suggest that high levels of reflection and brooding may be associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, respectively. However, it should be interpreted with caution, given that effect sizes are small.