Lambert Ann E, Hu Yueqin, Magee Joshua C, Beadel Jessica R, Teachman Bethany A
University of Virginia, Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2014 Jan 1;3(1):21-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.11.004.
Some studies have found that trying to suppress thoughts increases their long-term recurrence, a phenomenon associated with psychopathology, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, effect sizes in thought suppression studies have often been small and inconsistent. The present study sought to improve thought suppression conceptualization and measurement by examining two distinct dimensions of thought recurrence - frequency and duration of a thought's return - and how they evolve over time. After a thought focus period, 100 adults were assigned to either suppress or monitor the recurrence of an unpleasant thought for 4 min. Then, during a second four-minute period, participants were asked to monitor the thought's recurrence. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that thought declined across time and the rate of decline slowed as time went on. Initially, the extent of thought remained short and stable for those asked to suppress, and increased linearly over time for those asked to monitor. Later, this pattern reversed. Duration increased linearly for those initially asked to suppress but was short and stable for those who initially monitored. Accounting for change over time and means of measuring recurrence (frequency vs. duration) may help elucidate past mixed findings, and improve thought suppression research methodology.
一些研究发现，试图抑制想法会增加其长期复发的可能性，这是一种与精神病理学相关的现象，尤其是强迫症。然而，想法抑制研究中的效应量往往较小且不一致。本研究试图通过考察想法复发的两个不同维度——想法返回的频率和持续时间——以及它们如何随时间演变，来改进想法抑制的概念化和测量方法。在一个想法聚焦期之后，100名成年人被分配到要么抑制要么监测一个不愉快想法的复发情况，持续4分钟。然后，在第二个四分钟时间段内，要求参与者监测该想法的复发情况。分层线性模型表明，想法随时间减少，且随着时间推移下降速度减缓。最初，对于被要求抑制想法的人来说，想法持续的时间较短且稳定，而对于被要求监测想法的人来说，想法持续时间随时间呈线性增加。后来，这种模式发生了逆转。对于最初被要求抑制想法的人来说，持续时间呈线性增加，而对于最初进行监测的人来说，持续时间较短且稳定。考虑到随时间的变化以及测量复发情况的方式（频率与持续时间），可能有助于阐明过去的混合研究结果，并改进想法抑制研究方法。
