Is a High Association Between Repetitive Negative Thinking and Negative Affect Predictive of Depressive Symptoms? A Clustering Approach for Experience-Sampling Data

Abstract

A reciprocal relationship between repetitive negative thinking (RNT) and negative affect (NA) has been found in various types of psychopathology. Recent studies have suggested that the magnitude of this association can vary across time and individuals, which may inform future psychopathology. Here, we explored how these dynamics and interplays are manifested in student and general populations using a statistical clustering algorithm. Across three experience-sampling data sets, our clustering analyses consistently identified two groups of individuals; one group had a higher bidirectional association between RNT and NA (and also higher inertia) than the other group. Furthermore, a prospective analysis revealed that the group with the higher bidirectional association is at risk of developing depressive symptoms during the 3-month follow-up period if they had experienced high levels of NA over the experience-sampling phase. These findings suggest that the dysfunctional affective and cognitive dynamics would be a promising target of preventive intervention.