Negative and positive effects of the experienced trauma – the role of rumination
Nina Ogińska-Bulik

The occurrence of traumatic events is fairly common – approximately 70% of people experience them. The results of research conducted in recent years indicate that the experience of traumatic events entails the occurrence of adverse effects, among which all the symptoms of a posttraumatic stress disorder are mentioned, but also there are positive changes, expressed in the form of posttraumatic growth. Among the conditions of negative and positive consequences of experienced trauma, a special role is attributed to cognitive activity, including rumination. Rumination related to a specific event can play diverse roles. One of them, termed intrusive, are automatically appearing thoughts which a person is unable to control, and which are not linked to attempts to solve the problem. This type of rumination is similar to intrusion, although the concepts are not identical. On the other hand, rumination called reflective or intentional is of a constructive nature, serving to attempt to solve the problem. Intrusive rumination favours the occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and deliberate rumination – posttraumatic growth. The article focuses on the role of rumination in the occurrence of negative, but mostly – due to the novelty of the technique – positive effects of the experienced trauma. Research indicating the associations of rumination both with the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth is presented. A revised model of posttraumatic growth has been presented, which emphasises the importance of rumination, both intrusive and deliberate. The article also contains consideration over further directions of research in this area and practical implications, related primarily to promote posttraumatic growth.