Multiple roads towards rumination? Integrating cognitive control in self-regulatory and metacognitive models of rumination

Cognitive control impairments pose a risk for depression via use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies such as depressive rumination. However, recent studies suggest that a deficit model is inadequate in explaining the complex relation between cognitive control and depression vulnerability. In particular, there seem to be multiple etiological pathways towards rumination, each of which may hold a different role for cognitive control. To improve theoretical models of rumination, the current project proposes an integration of cognitive control and central concepts of key self-regulatory and metacognitive models of rumination. Building on recent methodological and statistical advances, we will use network analysis to: (1) Model the relation between cognitive control and depressive rumination taking into account antecedent factors such as promotion goal failure and metacognition regarding emotion regulation; (2) Investigate whether the complex interrelation between central ruminative features differs pending on the presence of these factors, recognizing the multifaceted nature of rumination; and (3) Model individual differences in the etiology of rumination, building towards a personalized medicine treatment of rumination. Together, this project will increase our understanding of the complex role of cognitive control in depressive rumination, resulting in an integrative cognitive framework for rumination with direct implications for treatment.