Rumination as a predictor of drinking behaviour in alcohol abusers: a prospective study.

AIMS: To investigate the role of depression and rumination in predicting drinking status (absence or presence of alcohol use) and level of alcohol use at 3, 6 and 12 months following a brief course of cognitive-behavioural therapy for alcohol abuse.

METHODS

A total of 80 out-patients with a diagnosis of alcohol abuse completed measures of depression (Beck Depression Inventory), rumination (Ruminative Responses Scale) and alcohol use (Quantity-Frequency Scale).

RESULTS

These indicated that rumination predicted drinking status and level of alcohol use at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up. The contribution of rumination was independent of depression and initial level of alcohol use.

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm that rumination is an important prospective predictor of drinking status and level of alcohol use in alcohol abusers and highlight the potential relevance of targeting rumination in the treatment of alcohol abuse.