Rumination involves repetitive and persistent thinking and has been associated with difficulties in cognitive processes such as attention and working memory. However, less is known about whether individual differences in trait rumination are related to the ability to retain newly learned information over longer periods of time. This study examined whether trait rumination predicted delayed verbal memory performance across approximately seven days in a healthy adult sample.

Participants completed the 15 Word Test, which included five learning trials, delayed free recall after approximately 20 minutes, and a second delayed recall test one week later. Trait rumination was measured using the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS). The primary analysis examined whether higher levels of trait rumination were associated with poorer combined delayed recall performance across the two time points. A secondary analysis examined whether trait rumination predicted recall after one week beyond individual differences in earlier delayed recall. Trait rumination did not significantly predict delayed memory performance. Although performance after 20 minutes strongly predicted recall one week later, rumination did not explain additional differences in one-week recall.