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Dark Storm Clouds and Rays of Sunshine: Profiles of Negative and Positive Rumination About Daily Hassles and Uplifts

Journal of Happiness Studies volume 17, pages 2257–2276 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Daily negative events (hassles) and positive events (uplifts) have an impact on our subjective well-being, and how we react to those events (e.g., negatively ruminating by reflecting on the difficulties that come with hassles, positively ruminating by reflecting on the good aspects of uplifts) often has additional influence. However, little is known about the use of positive and negative rumination in combination. Using data from 469 adults, we examined retrospective accounts of negative and positive rumination about specific hassles and uplifts in reference to a 24-h period. Although differences in rumination were not observed across various domains (e.g., work, family, health), profiles emerged in relation to valence. Specifically, we identified four profiles of rumination: Non-Ruminators (39 %), Multivalence Ruminators (10 %), Positive Ruminators (26 %) and Negative Ruminators (24 %). Neither age nor gender systematically related to rumination profile. We further examined whether the associations among hassles, uplifts and well-being outcomes differed across these profiles. Results suggested few differences in the structural relations across the profiles, although the strength of associations was stronger for Negative Ruminators than Positive Ruminators. Results are discussed in terms of the robustness of effects of hassles and uplifts on subjective well-being across individual difference variables.

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Notes

  1. Gender was initially included in the SEM models, but pathways with the study variables (hassles, uplifts, and SWB latent construct) were not significant. Given power restrictions when moving into the multi-group analyses and the lack of gender differences in the profiles, gender was removed from these models. For these analyses, please contact the primary author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

    Allyson S. Graf, Meagan A. Ramsey, Julie Hicks Patrick & Amy L. Gentzler

  2. Elmira College, One Park Place, Elmira, NY, 14901, USA

    Allyson S. Graf

  3. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Meagan A. Ramsey

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  1. Allyson S. Graf
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Correspondence to Allyson S. Graf.

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Graf, A.S., Ramsey, M.A., Patrick, J.H. et al. Dark Storm Clouds and Rays of Sunshine: Profiles of Negative and Positive Rumination About Daily Hassles and Uplifts. J Happiness Stud 17, 2257–2276 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-015-9693-x

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Keywords

  • Rumination
  • Subjective well-being
  • Hassles
  • Uplifts