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This study investigates how culture influences the relationship between rumination and emotional outcomes in trauma survivors.

April 18, 2026Cognitive Therapy and Research0 citationsOpen Access

Cultural Influences on the Associations Between Rumination and Affective Outcomes: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

JLJames Haoxiang LiMonash University XLX. LeeMonash University LQLarissa Shiying QiuMonash University

Key Points

This study investigates how culture influences the relationship between rumination and emotional outcomes in trauma survivors.
Used ecological momentary assessment over 7 days with 2239 observations.
Recruited European Australian and Chinese Australian trauma survivors via social media.
Measured baseline PTSD symptoms, self-construal, rumination, positive affect, and negative affect.
Rumination was linked to lower positive affect and higher negative affect across cultural groups.
Self-construal moderated effects of specific rumination types on affect.
PTSD symptoms intensified the relationship between brooding and affect.

Abstract

Abstract Aim This study used ecological momentary assessment to examine the moderating effect of cultural variables (cultural group and self-construal) on the association between rumination and affective outcomes among European Australian and Chinese Australian trauma survivors. Method European Australian ( n = 46) and Chinese Australian ( n = 49) trauma survivors were recruited through social media advertisements and completed baseline measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and self-construal before completing daily measures of rumination and positive (PA) and negative (NA) affect (4 times per day for 7 days; 2239 observations). Results First, rumination (brooding, reflection, trauma-related) was significantly associated with lower levels of momentary PA and higher levels of momentary NA regardless of cultural group. Self-construal moderated these associations for specific forms of rumination. Second, PTSD symptoms moderated the positive relationships between brooding and PA, and between trauma-related brooding and NA, with these associations being stronger at higher levels of PTSD symptomatology. There was no evidence that cultural group moderated the relationship between any type of rumination and affect, regardless of PTSD symptom level. However, self-construal was found to moderate the association between reflection and trauma-related brooding and affect, at various levels of PTSD symptomatology. Conclusions This study highlights that the relationships between PTSD symptoms, rumination and affect may be similar across cultural groups, suggesting that the pathological mechanisms of rumination may supersede the influence of cultural background. However, individual variation in culturally derived values like self-construal may shape relationships under some conditions. Future research is needed to better understand these cultural influences.

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