Testing the differential effects of acceptance and attention-based psychological interventions on intrusive thoughts and worry.
Testing the differential effects of acceptance and attention-based psychological interventions on intrusive thoughts and worry.
Background: Worry is a key component of anxiety and may be an effective target for therapeutic intervention. We compared two psychological processes (attention and acceptance) on the frequency of intrusive worrying thoughts in an experimental worry task.
Method: 77 participants were randomised across three groups and completed either a 10 minute attention or acceptance-based psychological exercise, or progressive muscle relaxation control. We subsequently measured anxiety, and the content and frequency of intrusive
thoughts before and after a ‘worry induction task’.
Results: Groups did not differ in baseline worry, anxiety or thought intrusions. Both attention and acceptance-based groups experienced fewer negative thought intrusions (post-worry) compared to the relaxation control group. The acceptance exercise had the largest effect, preventing ‘worry induction’. Increases in negative intrusive thoughts predicted subjective anxiety.
Discussion: We provide evidence that acceptance and attention psychological exercises may reduce anxiety by reducing the negative thought intrusions that characterise worry.
72-77
Ainsworth, Ben
b02d78c3-aa8b-462d-a534-31f1bf164f81
Bolderston, Helen
2aef417a-6463-414e-9ca9-e89ffd1faffb
Garner, Matthew
3221c5b3-b951-4fec-b456-ec449e4ce072
April 2017
Ainsworth, Ben
b02d78c3-aa8b-462d-a534-31f1bf164f81
Bolderston, Helen
2aef417a-6463-414e-9ca9-e89ffd1faffb
Garner, Matthew
3221c5b3-b951-4fec-b456-ec449e4ce072
Ainsworth, Ben, Bolderston, Helen and Garner, Matthew
(2017)
Testing the differential effects of acceptance and attention-based psychological interventions on intrusive thoughts and worry.
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 91, .
(doi:10.1016/j.brat.2017.01.012).
Abstract
Background: Worry is a key component of anxiety and may be an effective target for therapeutic intervention. We compared two psychological processes (attention and acceptance) on the frequency of intrusive worrying thoughts in an experimental worry task.
Method: 77 participants were randomised across three groups and completed either a 10 minute attention or acceptance-based psychological exercise, or progressive muscle relaxation control. We subsequently measured anxiety, and the content and frequency of intrusive
thoughts before and after a ‘worry induction task’.
Results: Groups did not differ in baseline worry, anxiety or thought intrusions. Both attention and acceptance-based groups experienced fewer negative thought intrusions (post-worry) compared to the relaxation control group. The acceptance exercise had the largest effect, preventing ‘worry induction’. Increases in negative intrusive thoughts predicted subjective anxiety.
Discussion: We provide evidence that acceptance and attention psychological exercises may reduce anxiety by reducing the negative thought intrusions that characterise worry.
Text
Ainsworth et al, 2017, BRAT .pdf
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 23 January 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 24 January 2017
Published date: April 2017
Organisations:
Clinical Neuroscience
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 405081
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/405081
ISSN: 0005-7967
PURE UUID: b7cea402-8cce-47f5-86ec-4b51af271577
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Date deposited: 26 Jan 2017 14:58
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:01
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Author:
Ben Ainsworth
Author:
Helen Bolderston
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