Lay Theories of the Wandering Mind: Control-Related Beliefs Predict Mind Wandering Rates in- and outside the Lab

2020 ◽  
pp. 014616722094940
Author(s):  
Claire M. Zedelius ◽  
John Protzko ◽  
Jonathan W. Schooler
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Mind Wandering ◽  
Lay Theories ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Thought Control ◽  
Mind Control ◽  
Thought Control Strategies

People often fail to keep their mind from wandering. Here, we examine how the tendency to mind wander is affected by people’s beliefs, or lay theories. Building on research on lay theories and self-regulation, we test whether differences in people’s beliefs about the extent to which mind wandering is controllable affect thought control strategies and mind-wandering rates in daily life and the laboratory. We develop a new scale to assess control-related beliefs about mind wandering. Scores on the scale predict mind wandering (Study 1) and intrusive thoughts (Study 2) in everyday life, thought control strategies and dysfunctional responses to unwanted thoughts (Study 2), and mind wandering during reading in the laboratory (Studies 3–6). Moreover, experimentally induced lay theories affect mind-wandering rates during reading (Studies 4 and 5). Finally, the effectiveness of strategies people can use to reduce their mind wandering depends on their lay theories (Studies 2 and 6).

The Thought Control Questionnaire – psychometric properties in a clinical sample, and relationships with PTSD and depression

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 1089-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARTINA REYNOLDS ◽  
ADRIAN WELLS
Keyword(s):  
Major Depression ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Normal Sample ◽  
Thought Control ◽  
Cognitive Distraction ◽  
Thought Control Strategies

Background. Recent developments in research suggest that particular attempts to control thoughts may contribute to the problem of intrusion. An instrument capable of identifying strategies for dealing with unwanted intrusions in clinical populations may be used for differentiating between thought control strategies that may or may not be helpful.Methods. The Thought Control Questionnaire (TCQ) (Wells & Davies, 1994) developed and validated on a normal sample, was administered to a clinical sample in order to investigate the consistency of the original factor structure and its psychometric properties. The sensitivity of the scale to change associated with recovery was also examined. Relationships between individual differences in thought control strategies and psychiatric symptoms in patients with DSM-IV major depression, and PTSD with or without major depression were investigated.Results. The Scree Test suggested a six-factor solution which was rotated. This solution split the original distraction subscale into separate behavioural and cognitive distraction, otherwise the subscales were almost identical to those obtained in non-clinical subjects. As this split has been shown to be unreliable, further analyses in this study were based on the five-factor version of the TCQ obtained by Wells & Davies (1994). Predictors of recovery and of symptoms in PTSD and depression were explored.Conclusions. Correlations between the TCQ subscales and other measures suggest that particular thought control strategies may be associated with the symptoms of PTSD and depression. The TCQ scales appear to be sensitive to changes associated with recovery. Significant differences emerged in thought control strategies between depressed and PTSD patients. Hierarchical regression analysis showed distraction, punishment and reappraisal control strategies predicted depression scores in depressed patients while use of distraction predicted intrusions in PTSD.

Thought Control Strategies and Symptom Dimensions in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Associations With Treatment Outcome

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-189
Author(s):  
Eric B. Lee ◽  
Steven Bistricky ◽  
Alex Milam ◽  
Chad T. Wetterneck ◽  
Thröstur Björgvinsson
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Treatment Effectiveness ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Symptom Dimensions ◽  
Thought Control ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Dimensional Measure ◽  
Thought Control Strategies ◽  
Modified Forms

Treatment effectiveness of exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) might be attenuated in part because of the complex, heterogeneous nature of OCD. Previous studies have indicated relationships between thought control strategies and OCD severity. This study replicates and extends these findings by using a dimensional measure of OCD and examining changes in thought control strategies across treatment. Participants included 49 patients with OCD attending residential and intensive outpatient treatment. Statistical analyses revealed significant reduction in worry and punishment thought control strategies from pre- to posttreatment as well as relationships between reduced use of specific thought control strategies and specific types of OCD symptomatology. Findings suggest that developing and employing modified forms of treatment more aligned with individuals’ specific OCD symptomatology could be worthwhile to improve treatment of OCD.

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