Kornacka Monika, Skorupski Michał S, Krejtz Izabela
Emotion Cognition Lab, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Katowice, Poland.
Insitute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland.
Front Psychiatry. 2023 Mar 14;14:1037443. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1037443. eCollection 2023.
Task-unrelated thoughts (TUT) play an important role in everyday life functioning (e.g., anticipating the future, or providing a mental break). However, TUT might also be maladaptive, impairing cognitive performance emotion regulation, and increasing the risk of psychological disorders. In the present study, we aimed to test how self-reported control over TUT and task valence moderate the link between task difficulty and TUT intensity, testing the context regulation and avoidant alternative hypotheses of TUT occurrence.
Forty-nine participants took part in an experience sampling study. They were asked to answer five times a day for 5 days a series of questions assessing the intensity, valence, control over TUT, and their momentary affect along with characteristics of the task they were currently performing. They also filled in trait questionnaires assessing their tendency to daydream, ruminate, and their beliefs on emotions' usefulness and controllability.
The results showed that both task difficulty and one's lower control over thoughts along with their interaction significantly increased TUT intensity. Task negative valence significantly predicted TUT intensity and moderated the link between task difficulty and TUT intensity. In addition, the tendency to daydream and beliefs in the controllability of negative emotions affect the relations in this model.
To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to provide quantitative evidence from an experience sampling study on the role of the valence of currently performed tasks and beliefs on emotions on TUT intensity. It might be an important indication for research and clinical practice that maladaptive TUT might not be only linked to self-control failure but also to emotion regulation strategies one is using.
与任务无关的思维（TUT）在日常生活功能中发挥着重要作用（例如，预测未来或提供精神放松）。然而，TUT也可能具有适应不良性，损害认知表现、情绪调节，并增加心理障碍的风险。在本研究中，我们旨在测试自我报告的对TUT的控制以及任务效价如何调节任务难度与TUT强度之间的联系，检验TUT发生的情境调节和回避替代假设。
49名参与者参加了一项经验抽样研究。他们被要求在5天内每天回答5次一系列问题，评估TUT的强度、效价、对TUT的控制，以及他们当下的情绪和他们当前正在执行的任务的特征。他们还填写了特质问卷，评估他们白日梦、沉思的倾向，以及他们对情绪有用性和可控性的信念。
结果表明，任务难度、个人对思维的较低控制以及它们的相互作用均显著增加了TUT强度。任务负效价显著预测了TUT强度，并调节了任务难度与TUT强度之间的联系。此外，白日梦倾向和对负面情绪可控性的信念影响了该模型中的关系。
据我们所知，本研究首次从经验抽样研究中提供了关于当前执行任务的效价和情绪信念对TUT强度作用的定量证据。适应不良的TUT可能不仅与自我控制失败有关，还与个体正在使用的情绪调节策略有关，这可能对研究和临床实践具有重要指示意义。
