Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-mnklg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-12T11:02:59.199Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Thought Suppression Induces Intrusions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Edith H. Lavy and
Marcel A. van den Hout
Edith H. Lavy
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health Sciences/Experimental Psychopathology, Limburg University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Marcel A. van den Hout
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health Sciences/Experimental Psychopathology, Limburg University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Get accessRights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

An experiment was conducted to investigate whether deliberate attempts to avoid a thought content have paradoxical effects. Twenty-four Ss received thought suppression instructions, 16 neutral instructions. Thought suppression resulted in an increased number of occurrences of the thought to be suppressed. The contribution of the results to the theory of obsessions is discussed.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 18 , Issue 4 , October 1990, pp. 251 - 258
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Edwards, S. and Dickerson, M. (1987). On the similarity of positive and negative intrusions. Behavior Research and Therapy 25, 207–211.Google Scholar
Merckelbach, H., Muris, P., Van Den Hout, M. and De Jong, P. (1990). Rebound effects of thought suppression: an epiphenomenon? Submitted for publication.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parkinson, L. and Rachman, S. (1981). Part II. The nature of intrusive thoughts. Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy 3, 101–110.Google Scholar
Rachman, S. (1971). Obsessional ruminations. Behavior Research Thereapy 9, 229–235.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rachman, S. (1978). An anatomy of obsessions. Behavioral Analysis and Modification, 2, 253–278.Google Scholar
Rachman, S. (1981). Part I. Unwanted intrusive cognitions. Advances in Behavior Research and Therapy 3, 89–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rachman, S. and De Silva, P. (1978). Abnormal and normal obsessions. Behavior Research Therapy 16, 233–248.Google Scholar
Salkovskis, P. M. (1985). Obsessional-compulsive problems: a cognitive-behavioural analysis. Behavior Research Therapy 23, 571–583.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salkovskis, P. M. and Harrison, J. (1984). Abnormal and normal obsessions - a replication. Behavior Research Therapy 22, 549–552.Google Scholar
Wegner, D. M. (1989). White Bears and Other Unwanted Thoughts: Suppression, Obsession, and the Psychology of Mental Control. Viking Press.Google Scholar
Wegner, D. M., Schneider, D. J., Carter, S. R. and White, T. L. (1987). Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personal Social Psychology 53, 5–13.Google Scholar
Wegner, D. M., Shortt, J. W., Blake, A. W. and Page, M. S. (1990). The suppression of exciting thoughts. Journal of Personal Social Psychology 58, 409–418.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.