Abstract
Negative repetitive thinking (i.e., rumination and worries) is a central process in depression and anxiety. It has been suggested that different cognitive modes in repetitive thinking (RT) (e.g., abstract-evaluative versus concrete-experiential) determine whether RT consequences are constructive or unconstructive. Three studies were conducted in order to (a) validate a questionnaire differentiating cognitive modes in RT, (b) explore their phenomenal characteristics, and (c) investigate the questionnaire sensitivity in discriminating different forms of psychopathology and in detecting diagnosis-free but vulnerable individuals. Results show that the questionnaire reliably assesses three distinct modes of RT and has good psychometric characteristics. Phenomenal characteristics (temporal orientation, valence, authoritarian tone, and grammatical person) differentiated the three RT modes. Furthermore, the RT modes are differentially related to anxiety and depression symptoms. Altogether, the present data suggest that the questionnaire taps important transdiagnostic processes and that it detects individuals who are diagnosis-free but vulnerable in terms of mood.
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The original data of these studies is available on simple request to the first author.
Notes
One might question whether the notion of “repetitive” thinking actually applies to these cognitive modes. Indeed, by definition, CERT and CDRT are not repetitive, the former because it follows the unfolding of ongoing experience, and the latter because, by definition, it moves from one idea to another. Still, both modes tend to persist in time. Actually, a more correct label for these cognitive phenomena might be “reactive thinking” rather than “repetitive” thinking. However, the literature clearly uses the label “repetitive thinking” to designate this concept, and we thought it might generate confusion if we came up with another label. We are thus using the label and concept of repetitive thinking, while acknowledging that it might not be the most semantically appropriate choice.
One might question whether the notion of “repetitive” thinking actually applies to these cognitive modes. Indeed, by definition, CERT and CDRT are not repetitive, the former because it follows the unfolding of ongoing experience, and the latter because, by definition, it moves from one idea to another. Still, both modes tend to persist in time. Actually, a more correct label for these cognitive phenomena might be “reactive thinking” rather than “repetitive” thinking. However, the literature clearly uses the label “repetitive thinking” to designate this concept, and we thought it might generate confusion if we came up with another label. We are thus using the label and concept of repetitive thinking, while acknowledging that it might not be the most semantically appropriate choice.
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Appendices
Appendix 1 English version of the RTMQ
Repetitive thinking mode questionnaire (RTMQ).
“When thoughts about myself, my feelings or situations and events I lived come to mind...”
(to best answer these questions, immerse yourself in the memories of moments when you were absorbed by these kinds of thoughts).
Almost never | Sometimes | Often | Almost always | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | …I compare myself to other people | ||||
2 | …I like to let myself go to follow the spontaneous flow of my thoughts | ||||
3 | …I can stay focused on what is important to me | ||||
4 | …I have all kinds of new and original thoughts | ||||
5 | …I wonder why I’m reacting like this | ||||
6 | …I am aware of my thoughts and emotions without being carried away by them | ||||
7 | …I worry about what others might think of me | ||||
8 | …I let my ideas wander, curious where they can lead me | ||||
9 | …I am focused on what is happening inside me | ||||
10 | …I judge myself negatively | ||||
11 | …my mind freely produces all kinds of new ideas | ||||
12 | …I quickly understand what’s going on inside me | ||||
13 | …my mind is constantly shifting from an idea to a new idea | ||||
14 | …I feel under pressure to prevent my worst fears from happening | ||||
15 | …I very quickly get impressions and intuitions of what is happening | ||||
16 | …I wonder why I’m where I am now | ||||
17 | …all kinds of new thoughts spontaneously cross my mind | ||||
18 | …I am focused on what I am experiencing in concrete terms now | ||||
Additional items assessing time orientation | |||||
I think about past aspects or causes of the situation | |||||
I think about what might happen in the future | |||||
My mind is occupied with the present moment | |||||
I think about the future | |||||
I think about things that happened in the past | |||||
I am focused on current things | |||||
My mind is occupied with the future | |||||
I think about the past | |||||
I think about what is happening now | |||||
I am focused on things that might happen | |||||
I am focused on the present | |||||
I am focused on things in the past | |||||
Appendix 2 French version of the RTMQ
“Quand des pensées à propos de moi, de mes sentiments ou de situations et d’évènements vécus me viennent à l’esprit…”
(pour répondre au mieux à ces questions, replongez-vous dans les souvenirs de moments où vous étiez absorbés par ce genre de pensées).
Presque jamais | Parfois | Souvent | Presque toujours | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | …je me compare aux autres personnes | ||||
2 | …j’aime me laisser aller à suivre le flux spontané de mes pensées | ||||
3 | …je peux rester focalisé(e) sur ce qui est important pour moi | ||||
4 | …j’ai toutes sortes de pensées nouvelles et originales | ||||
5 | …je me demande pourquoi je réagis comme cela | ||||
6 | …je suis conscient(e) de mes pensées et de mes émotions sans pour autant me laisser emporter par elles | ||||
7 | …je m’inquiète de ce que les autres pourraient penser de moi | ||||
8 | …je laisse mes idées vagabonder, curieux(se) d’où elles peuvent me mener | ||||
9 | …je suis centré(e) sur ce qui se passe en moi | ||||
10 | …je me juge négativement | ||||
11 | …mon esprit produit librement toutes sortes de nouvelles idées | ||||
12 | …je comprends très vite ce qui se passe en moi | ||||
13 | …mon esprit passe sans cesse d’une idée à une nouvelle idée | ||||
14 | …je me sens sous pression d’empêcher mes pires craintes d’arriver | ||||
15 | …j’ai très rapidement des impressions et des intuitions de ce qui se passe | ||||
16 | …je me demande pourquoi je suis où j’en suis | ||||
17 | …toutes sortes de nouvelles pensées me traversent spontanément l’esprit | ||||
18 | …je suis centré(e) sur ce que je vis concrètement maintenant | ||||
Items additionnels pour l’orientation temporelle | |||||
je pense aux aspects ou causes passés de la situation | |||||
je pense à ce qui pourrait arriver dans le futur | |||||
mon esprit est occupé par le moment présent | |||||
je pense à l’avenir | |||||
je me remémore des choses qui se sont passées antérieurement | |||||
je suis centré(e) sur des choses actuelles | |||||
mon esprit est occupé par le futur | |||||
je pense au passé | |||||
je pense à ce qui se passe maintenant | |||||
je suis centré(e) sur des choses qui pourraient arriver | |||||
je suis centré(e) sur le présent | |||||
je suis centré(e) sur des choses passées | |||||
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Philippot, P., Verschuren, A. & Douilliez, C. Transdiagnostic Processes in Depression and Anxiety: Assessing Differentiated Cognitive Modes in Repetitive Thinking. J Cogn Ther 16, 539–570 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00171-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-023-00171-3