Deficits in cognitive inhibition and post-loss rumination: evidence from a thought suppression task / Déficits de inhibición cognitiva y rumiación posterior a una pérdida: evidencia a partir de una tarea de supresión de pensamientos

Abstract The present study investigated the relationship between deficits in grief-related thought suppression and post-loss rumination. Using Wegner’s thought-suppression paradigm, bereaved participants with low and high rumination were asked to suppress painful thoughts about their loss. High ruminators were found to be less able to suppress grief-related, negative and positive words in comparison with low ruminators. In addition, they were found less able to suppress negative representations in comparison with grief-related and neutral ones. Deficits in thought suppression during bereavement are discussed in terms of their implications for ruminative processes.