title: Cognitive defusion versus thought distraction: a clinical rationale, training, and experiential exercise in altering psychological impacts of negative self-referential thoughts.
abstract: Using two modes of intervention delivery, the present study compared the effects of a cognitive defusion strategy with a thought distraction strategy on the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts. One mode of intervention delivery consisted of a clinical rationale and training (i.e., Partial condition). The other mode contained a condition-specific experiential exercise with the negative self-referential thought in addition to the clinical rationale and training (i.e., Full condition). Nonclinical undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of five protocols: Partial-Defusion, Full-Defusion, Partial-Distraction, Full-Distraction, and a distraction-based experimental control task. The Full-Defusion condition reduced the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts significantly more than other comparison conditions. The positive results of the Full-Defusion condition were also found among participants with elevated depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA. psyaxm@langate.gsu.edu
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Amanda B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Feinstein
authors.forename: Johanna W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wendell
authors.forename: Shawn T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Sheehan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D013850:Thinking