University of Technology Sydney. Graduate School of Health.This program of research investigated the role of intrusive memories and rumination in the onset and maintenance of depression, as well as the treatment of these processes. Paper one examined the association between ruminative processing mode and the trajectory of intrusive memories over a 6 hour time period following a negative mood induction. Three classes were found following the video (intrusion free, rapid remitters, slow remitters). Processing mode did not influence the frequency of intrusive memories or predict class membership. Paper two examined whether there are bidirectional relationships between rumination and intrusive memories over the same period of time. A one-way relationship was found whereby rumination predicted future intrusive memories and further rumination, yet this relationship was not bi-directional. Paper three examined whether 12 weekly sessions of imagery rescripting was associated with reductions in symptoms in a clinically depressed sample. Following the treatment, there were significant reductions in symptoms, 87% of participants showed reliable improvement and 80% showed clinically significant improvement and no longer met diagnostic criteria for MDD. This represented a large effect size. Paper four examined whether the characteristics of intrusive memories and ruminative responses to these memories also changed over the course of this treatment. Intrusive memory distress and rumination were found to reduce over the course of treatment. Reduction in depressive symptoms was independent of the level of intrusion characteristics, yet participants who reported higher levels of rumination were found to improve at a slower rate over the course of treatment. Paper five examined whether repetitive negative thinking can be conceptualised as a maladaptive coping mode ‘over-analysing’ consistent with Young’s schema mode model (Young, Klosko & Weishaar. 2003). Correlational and mediation analysis provided support for this model in which the relationship between angry and vulnerable child modes, and worry, rumination, and repetitive negative thinking, respectively, was mediated by experiential avoidance. Paper six examined the changes in schema modes, as well as the relation between these modes and depression symptoms over the course of imagery rescripting treatment for depression. While seven schema modes significantly reduced over the course of treatment, improvement in depression symptoms was not influenced by changes in any of the modes. Finally, Paper seven used two case examples to describe the clinical application of imagery rescripting in depression. The findings from this program of research support the use of imagery rescripting in the treatment of intrusive memories, rumination and depression symptoms
