Citation

Magee JC, Dreyer-Oren SE, Sarfan LD, Teachman BA, Clerkin EM. J. Obsessive Compuls. Relat. Disord. 2019; 23: e100368.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jocrd.2017.12.003

PMID

32832375 PMCID

Abstract

Cognitive control is central to the phenomenon of intrusive thinking in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. The current study tested how attempts at cognitive control are impacted by self- vs. other-generated distractor thoughts. Participants (N=1913) were randomly assigned to suppress or monitor an intrusive thought and also randomly assigned to: a) self-generate a distractor, b) receive a distractor, or c) receive no distractor guidance. Participants reported subsequent thought recurrences, perceived success and effort keeping the thought out of mind, and positive and negative affect during a one-minute thinking period and a one-minute monitoring period. During the first thinking period only, self-generated distractors resulted in greater perceived control (p<.001; during monitoring instructions only) relative to no guidance, and less effort (ps<.001) relative to both other conditions. Interestingly, self-generated distractors led to longer duration of recurrences relative to both other conditions (ps≤.007). Finally, there were no distractor differences in trajectories of positive and negative affect (ps>.10). These findings suggest that the source of distractors may inform when attempts to control intrusive thinking will be helpful versus harmful.

Language: en

Keywords

mental health; emotion regulation; cognitive control; intrusive thinking; thought suppression