The association between perseverative cognition and resting heart rate variability: A focus on state ruminative thoughts.

OBJECTIVE

Two studies were conducted to shed light on the associations between trait and state rumination and worry and a time-domain metric of heart rate variability, the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) of cardiac interbeat-interval (IBI).

METHOD: Study 1 involved 130 healthy adults (118 females; mean age = 23.4 ± 3.59 years), while 72 healthy participants (58 females; mean age = 22.2 ± 1.79 years) were involved in Study 2. RMSSD was calculated from a 5-min baseline recording and state ruminative thoughts were assessed during measurement. Trait perseverative cognitions were measured using self-reported questionnaires.

RESULTS

In Study 1, we found that a higher level of state but not trait ruminative thoughts showed weak negative association with lnRMSSD. In Study 2, we replicated the results of Study 1 and we found that trait reflection moderated the relationship between state rumination and lnRMSSD.

CONCLUSION

State rumination may reflect actual cardiovascular activity better than trait preservative cognitions, although trait reflection could be a protective factor.