DONT WORRY AND BEWARE OF WHITE BEARS - THOUGHT SUPPRESSION IN ANXIETYPATIENTS

The ability to suppress unwanted thoughts was investigated in patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD; n = 29), Speech Phobics (n = 25), and nonanxious controls (n = 28). All participants spent 5 minute s thinking aloud about anything :hat came to mind while trying not to think of white bears. In another task, they thought aloud for 5 minute s while trying not to think of their main worry. Intrusions of unwante d thoughts were signaled by button presses and recorded on tape. In ac cordance with the disorder's definition and complaints of the GAD pati ents, they sowed more intrusions of their main worry than of white bea rs. The opposite was true for other participants. Compared to a baseli ne measure, all participant groups were unable ro reduce duration of m ain worry thoughts when trying to suppress them. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd.