Background: Current popular conceptualizations of the psychological process Repetitive Thought (RT) appear of limited accuracy due to ample construct proliferation (e.g. equating RT with rumination or worry), tautological definitions, and the construct being studied primarily in mentally disordered populations. This paper sought to unite current disparate lines of research surrounding RT, in order to illuminate and clarify the nature of RT.
Methods: Two studies were completed: First, a systematic literature review was conducted in order to develop a more comprehensive and conceptually coherent model of RT. Second, the structural validity of the model produced by the first study was empirically tested using factor analytic and multiple regression techniques.
Results: Partially Exploratory Factor Analyses revealed a strong general Repetitive Thinking factor, as well as a three-factor model that was empirically most appropriate (Intrusive Repetitive Thought, Deliberate Processing, and Self-Conscious Repetitive Thought). Additional validation analyses confirmed these findings.
Conclusions: This study contributes to our understanding of the nature of Repetitive Thought. Importantly, the three RT factors can be conceptualized as independent dimensions that are all part of a larger RT trait. The empirical and applied implications of the conceptualization of RT, as well as development of a preliminary measure of RT, are discussed.