Introduction
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder characterized by relapsing inflammation and significant psychological burden [1]. Patients with IBD often experience depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life [2]. However, emerging research highlights posttraumatic growth (PTG)—positive psychological transformation following trauma—as a potential outcome in chronic illness [3].
PTG arises from cognitive restructuring after traumatic events, with rumination playing a key role [4]. Rumination includes intrusive rumination (unwanted, distressing thoughts) and deliberate rumination (purposeful reflection). While deliberate rumination typically fosters PTG, findings on intrusive rumination are inconsistent, with some studies reporting negative, positive, or null effects [5].
Results & Findings
A cross-sectional survey of 237 Chinese IBD patients. Intrusive rumination was negatively associated with PTG (β = -0.33; 95% CI: -0.61, -0.04), with education level impacting this effect (P for interaction < 0.05). Deliberate rumination showed a positive linear relationship with PTG (β = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.57, 1.17). Above a threshold of 17, intrusive rumination had a stronger negative impact (β = -1.01; 95% CI: -1.73, -0.30).
Summary & Discussion
This finding aligns with cognitive theories of trauma processing, which suggest that excessive intrusive thoughts may overwhelm an individual's cognitive and emotional resources, impeding adaptive meaning-making [6]. Below this threshold, intrusive rumination may serve as an initial, albeit distressing, step in cognitive processing, whereas higher levels may entrench negative thought patterns[9].This non-linear association helps reconcile conflicting findings in the literature [7]. Future research should explore whether interventions (e.g., mindfulness, cognitive restructuring) facilitate a transition toward deliberate rumination and subsequent PTG.
In contrast to intrusive rumination, deliberate rumination demonstrated a robust positive association with PTG across all models[8]. For IBD patients, who often experience fluctuating symptoms and emotional distress, facilitating deliberate cognitive processing may help them reframe their illness narrative, enhancing resilience and adaptive coping.
Individuals with lower education levels may lack the cognitive resources and flexibility needed to transform intrusive rumination into constructive meaning-making, making them more susceptible to negative emotional cycles that hinder PTG [9].
Conclusion
In conclusion, a nonlinear relationship between intrusive rumination and PTG in patients with IBD was found. When intrusive rumination exceeded a threshold of 17, it was negatively correlated with PTG. Additionally, deliberate rumination was positively associated with PTG, highlighting its potential as a facilitator of psychological growth.
References
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Disclosure
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
