Intrusive Thoughts Mediate the Relationship between Depression and Meta-Cognitive Beliefs about Focused Distraction

Abstract

The present study examined whether the frequency of intrusive thoughts mediates the relationship between depression and meta-cognitive beliefs about focused distraction. Participants were required to suppress their thoughts in a condition where they were able to use focused distraction. An analysis of mediation indicated that the subjective frequency of intrusive thoughts completely mediated the relation between depression and the meta-cognitive belief about the ironic effect of mental control. This result suggests that the degree of confidence in the belief about the ironic effect of mental control is influenced by the degree to which the frequency of intrusive thoughts has been affected by depression.View full abstract