Rumination is a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy linked to depression. An intriguing question is why some people tend to use it. The metacognitive model proposes that people having positive metacognitive beliefs (“ruminating helps me cope”) are more prone to engage in ruminative processes. On the other hand, negative metacognitive beliefs (“rumination is uncontrollable”) lead to negative appraisals about rumination, increasing depressive symptomatology. Two scales assess both of these core beliefs: the Positive and Negative Beliefs about Rumination Scales (PBRS and NBRS). While they have been widely used, few studies have examined their factor structure and psychometric properties. Preliminary support has also been provided for the metacognitive model of rumination and depression, but contrary results exist about the specific contributing negative beliefs. In this study, we aimed, first, to add new evidence of the factor structure and psychometric properties of the PBRS and NBRS in a non-clinical population and, second, to test the metacognitive model using structural equation modeling (SEM). We also add the Spanish version of these scales. The participants included 427 individuals from the general population. We confirmed the one-factor structure of the PBRS and found evidence for a three-factor structure of the NBRS (uncontrollability, harm and social consequences), differing from the two-factor structure found in previous studies. SEM analyses showed that positive beliefs were associated to rumination and negative beliefs about social consequences partially mediated the relations among rumination and depression. Our findings show new data about the validity of the two scales and suggest the utility of considering a three-factor model of the NBRS.

反思是与抑郁症相关的适应不良的情绪调节策略。一个有趣的问题是为什么有些人倾向于使用它。元认知模型提出，具有积极的元认知信念（“反省可以帮助我应对”）的人更容易参与反刍过程。另一方面，消极的元认知信念（“无法控制沉思”）导致对沉思的否定评估，增加了抑郁症的症状。有两个量表评估这两个核心信念：关于反省量表的积极信念和消极信念（PBRS和NBRS）。尽管它们已被广泛使用，但很少有研究检查其因素结构和心理计量学特性。还为反刍和抑郁的元认知模型提供了初步的支持，但是，关于特定的负面信念存在相反的结果。在这项研究中，我们的目的是，首先，为非临床人群中PBRS和NBRS的因素结构和心理计量特性提供新的证据，其次，使用结构方程模型（SEM）测试元认知模型。我们还添加了这些磅秤的西班牙语版本。参与者包括来自一般人群的427个人。我们证实了PBRS的一因素结构，并发现了NBRS的三因素结构（不可控制性，危害和社会后果）的证据，这与先前研究中发现的两因素结构不同。扫描电镜分析表明，积极的信念与反省有关，而对社会后果的消极信念则部分地介导了反省与抑郁之间的关系。