Rumination is differentially related to Openness and Intellect

• Published in: Personality and individual differences Vol. 227; p. 112677
• Main Authors: Fabretti, Rodrigo Rodrigues, Zanon, Cristian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2024
• Subjects: Anxiety; Depression; Openness to experience; Openness/Intellect; Personality traits; Psychopathology; Rumination; Openness/Intellect; Openness to experience; Personality traits; Depression; Anxiety; Rumination; Psychopathology
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2024.112677

Among the other Big Five personality traits, Openness to Experience has a less clear connection to psychopathology. Its inconsistent associations with different mental disorders suggest a complex relationship may exist at more specific levels of the trait. The present study investigated the role of the experiencing and intellectual subcomponents of Openness/Intellect in brooding (a known risk factor for depression and anxiety) and reflection. Participants (N = 1411) completed a measure of Openness to Experience and rumination. Consistent with our hypotheses, Openness was a positive predictor of brooding and reflection, whereas Intellect was a negative predictor of brooding. Our results are consistent with theoretical accounts of Openness and Intellect and suggest that the conditions afforded by Openness may lead to higher levels of both unconstructive (brooding) and constructive (reflection) types of rumination. The protective role of Intellect, in turn, may lead to lower levels of brooding. These results provide novel insights into the contribution of Openness/Intellect to rumination, which was not properly interpreted in previous studies.
•Openness and Intellect differentially predict brooding.•Openness is a positive predictor of brooding.•Openness is a positive predictor of reflection.•Intellect is a negative predictor of brooding.