Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RFCBT)
Repetitive thinking is a critical transdiagnostic mechanism that is implicated in the onset and maintenance of depression and anxiety. We can conceptualize repetitive thinking about the future as ‘worry,’ and repetitive thinking about the past as ‘rumination.’ Repetitive thinking can be a maintenance factor in conditions including anxiety and depression. Rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (RFCBT) as described by Watkins (2016) involves the components of:
- a longitudinal case formulation which views rumination as a learned behavior;
- the use of diaries to notice rumination and avoidance;
- functional analysis to examine the context and function of rumination and avoidance;
- behavioral experiments to examine the effect of different modes of thinking (why vs. how);
- behavioral activation;
- focus on the patient’s values;
- relapse prevention.
71 languages
Living With Worry And Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty
This free guide was published in March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic and is designed for anyone experiencing anxiety or worry. In times ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/living-with-worry-and-anxiety-amidst-global-uncertainty/
Free Guide
Problem Solving (CYP)
Effective problem solving is an essential life skill and this Problem Solving worksheet is designed to guide children and adolescents through steps wh ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/problem-solving-cyp/
Exercise
Rumination Diary (Archived)
Self-monitoring of thoughts, feelings, and symptoms is an essential skill in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The Rumination Diary helps clients to ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/rumination-diary-archived/
Worksheet
Rumination Self-Monitoring Record (Edition 1)
Rumination-Focused CBT (RF-CBT) takes a functional-analytic approach to rumination and aims to help depressed clients to identify the contexts in whic ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/rumination-self-monitoring-record-edition-1/
Worksheet
What Is Rumination?
Rumination and repetitive thought is a transdiagnostic maintenance process underpinning a range of difficulties. This information sheet explores the c ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-is-rumination/
Information Handout
What Keeps Depression Going?
The “What Keeps It Going?” series is a set of one-page diagrams explaining how common mental health conditions are maintained. Friendly and concis ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-keeps-depression-going/
Information Handout
Worry Decision Tree
Worry is a cognitive process that involves thinking about problems that might happen in a way that can leave you feeling anxious or apprehensive. Not ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-decision-tree/
Exercise
Worry Diary (Archived)
In the initial stages of treatment for GAD it is helpful to orient clients to observing their worries as a process rather than focus on their content. ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-diary-archived/
Worksheet
Worry Postponement
Worry postponement is often prescribed as an exploratory or standalone intervention relatively early in the treatment of GAD, but ‘worry postponeme ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-postponement/
Exercise
Worry Thought Record
Anxiety stems from negative predictions about the future (and also from assumptions that one will not be able to cope with the magnitude of the threat ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-thought-record/
Worksheet
Assessment
- Ruminating assessment measure goodmedicine.org.uk archive.org
- Rumination Response Scale (RSS) umich.edu archive.org
Intervention
- Ruminating thought worksheet centerstoneresearch.org archive.org
- Rumination – from trap to trac goodmedicine.org.uk archive.org
- 11 steps to stop ruminating jayuhdinger.com archive.org
Presentations
- The how and why of rumination and worry – presentation by Professor Ed Watkins exeter.ac.uk archive.org
- Targeting rumination by changing processing style: Experiential and Imagery exercises – presentation by Professor Ed Watkins babcpconference.com archive.org
Recommended Reading
- Watkins, E. R. (2009). Depressive Rumination and Co-Morbidity: Evidence for Brooding as a Transdiagnostic Process. Journal of Rational-Emotive Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 27, 160-175 nih.gov
- Watkins, E. (2015). Psychological treatment of depressive rumination. Current Opinion in Psychology, 4, 32-36. exeter.ac.uk archive.org
- Watkins, E. R. (2016). Rumination-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression. Guilford Publications.
References
- Watkins, E. R. (2016). Rumination-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression. New York: Guilford.