Staying stressed · Uncertainty
Prospective study Prediction
A habit of ruminating, measured before an earthquake, predicted symptoms after it
Among 137 students assessed 14 days before a major earthquake, those who already had a ruminative way of responding to their symptoms, along with existing symptoms, had more depression and stress symptoms 10 days and 7 weeks afterwards, as found using a prospective study.
Details
- Who was studied
- 137 students
- Observation window
- 14 days before; 10 days and 7 weeks after
- What was measured
- Ruminative style, depression and stress symptoms
- What this establishes
- Prediction, not causation
Limits: Existing symptoms before the earthquake also predicted later symptoms.
What it does not show: This establishes that rumination predicts lasting symptoms after a shared stressor, but not that it causes them.
Relationship to Calmistry
Supports measuring what stays after an event as distinct from the first reaction. Residual stress is Calmistry's version of that idea, and untested.
Calmistry hypothesis · not yet tested in Calmistry's own instrument
Related findings
Checked against the original on 2026-10-08 · DOI 10.1037/0022-3514.61.1.115 · PMID 1890582
Nolen-Hoeksema & Morrow (1991), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · Original publication