Moritz Steffen, Hörmann Claudia Cecile, Schröder Johanna, Berger Thomas, Jacob Gitta A, Meyer Björn, Holmes Emily A, Späth Christina, Hautzinger Martin, Lutz Wolfgang, Rose Matthias, Klein Jan Philipp
a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy , University of Hamburg , Hamburg , Germany.
Cogn Emot. 2014;28(6):1047-56. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2013.868342. Epub 2013 Dec 20.
Verbal thoughts (such as negative cognitions) and sensory phenomena (such as visual mental imagery) are usually conceptualised as distinct mental experiences. The present study examined to what extent depressive thoughts are accompanied by sensory experiences and how this is associated with symptom severity, insight of illness and quality of life. A large sample of mildly to moderately depressed patients (N = 356) was recruited from multiple sources and asked about sensory properties of their depressive thoughts in an online study. Diagnostic status and symptom severity were established over a telephone interview with trained raters. Sensory properties of negative thoughts were reported by 56.5% of the sample (i.e., sensation in at least one sensory modality). The highest prevalence was seen for bodily (39.6%) followed by auditory (30.6%) and visual (27.2%) sensations. Patients reporting sensory properties of thoughts showed more severe psychopathological symptoms than those who did not. The degree of perceptuality was marginally associated with quality of life. The findings support the notion that depressive thoughts are not only verbal but commonly accompanied by sensory experiences. The perceptuality of depressive thoughts and the resulting sense of authenticity may contribute to the emotional impact and pervasiveness of such thoughts, making them difficult to dismiss for their holder.
言语性思维（如消极认知）和感觉现象（如视觉心理意象）通常被概念化为不同的心理体验。本研究考察了抑郁性思维在多大程度上伴有感觉体验，以及这与症状严重程度、疾病洞察力和生活质量是如何相关的。从多个来源招募了一大群轻度至中度抑郁患者（N = 356），并在一项在线研究中询问他们抑郁性思维的感觉特性。通过与经过培训的评估者进行电话访谈确定诊断状态和症状严重程度。56.5%的样本报告了消极思维的感觉特性（即至少在一种感觉模态中有感觉）。身体感觉的患病率最高（39.6%），其次是听觉（30.6%）和视觉（27.2%）感觉。报告思维感觉特性的患者比未报告的患者表现出更严重的精神病理症状。感觉程度与生活质量有轻微关联。这些发现支持了抑郁性思维不仅是言语性的，而且通常伴有感觉体验这一观点。抑郁性思维的可感知性以及由此产生的真实感可能会导致此类思维的情感影响和普遍性，使其持有者难以摒弃。
