INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS AS DETERMINANTS OF DISTRESS IN PARENTS OF CHILDRENWITH CANCER

This study investigated the relationship between frequency of intrusiv e thoughts and susceptibility to reminiscent stimuli and consequent di stress in parents of children with cancer and parents with healthy chi ldren. Cancer-related words embedded in the Stroop task (e.g., ''chemo '' printed in green ink), served as the reminiscent stimuli. Results i ndicated that frequency of intrusive thoughts reported 2 months before the experimental session was positively correlated with evoked though ts and associated distress among parents with ill children. Intrusive thoughts predicted 11-17% of the variance in evoked thoughts and in el icited distress, whereas other symptoms of chronic stress did not pred ict evoked thoughts and elicited distress. Cognitive and affective tas k reactivity by parents of children with cancer were not accompanied b y behavioral or physiological reactivity. Future research should exami ne the extent to which more acute and naturalistic intrusive thoughts elicit reactivity across cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiol ogical dimensions, and long-term physical and mental health effects as sociated with chronic intrusive thoughts.