Definition
Onset vs duration keeps two clinical questions separate — what starts the episode versus how long it runs — because the evidence weights rumination differently on each.
Origin
Nolen-Hoeksema et al. (2008) review longitudinal work suggesting rumination predicts onset of depression more robustly than duration of episodes in some studies — an epistemic boundary, not a universal law.
Mechanism
Early passive replay may raise risk of entering a depressive trajectory; once inside an episode, duration may depend on additional factors (support, biology, behaviour) beyond rumination alone.
Applications
Intervene on first-pass brooding after a hard week — do not assume the same lever fixes a chronic episode already underway.
Sources
Cite
- Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Rethinking rumination. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(5), 400–424.