The role of cognitive inhibition in emotion regulation: is weak cognitive inhibition related to ruminative style and failed attempts at thought suppression?
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Date
2015
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University of New Brunswick
Abstract
Trait rumination is considered a vulnerability factor in major depression (NolenHoeksema,
Wisco, & Lyubomirsky, 2008). It has been suggested that rumination is
characterized by weak inhibitory processes, which contributes to the uncontrollable
nature of negative thoughts thereby increasing risk for depression (Joormann,
2005). However, questions remain on whether the link between inhibition and
rumination may be attributed to comorbid depressive symptoms. Therefore, the current
study extended previous research by investigating whether ruminative style is associated
with deficits in inhibition ability, while controlling for depression status. Furthermore
the present dissertation took an initial step by investigating whether inefficient inhibition
predict reduced ability to suppress upsetting thoughts during an induced sad mood
state. It was hypothesized that high trait rumination would be associated with weak
cognitive inhibition, independent of a major depressive disorder, and that weak
inhibitory processes characteristic of depressed or high ruminator groups would predict
increased intrusions and prolonged sadness following thought suppression attempts.
Participants (N = 218) completed a list-version directed forgetting task as a
measure of cognitive inhibition, and were assigned to suppression or monitor only
conditions following a six minute sad movie induction. Thought suppression was
measured by number of movie-related thoughts, whereas perceived suppression ability
was measured by self-report difficulty ratings for the task. Mood rating scales were
administered at four time periods to track reactivity and recovery from induced sad
mood. A select group of high and low vulnerability individuals (n =148) with extreme
scores on trait rumination were divided into experimental groups (i.e., depressed/high ruminator, high ruminator/nondepressed, low ruminator/nondepressed), labeled
depressed, high ruminator and low ruminator groups, respectively.
Overall there was mixed support for the hypotheses. Specifically, high
ruminators, but not depressed individuals, demonstrated weak inhibition. There was no
evidence to suggest deficits were specific to inhibition of negative
information. Furthermore, high ruminators perceived more difficulty in suppressing
movie-related thoughts compared to depressed and low ruminator groups. Contrary to
hypotheses, weak inhibition did not predict difficulty with thought suppression and
surprisingly, was associated with fewer overall movie-related thoughts. Results and
implications were discussed in terms of potential vulnerability factors for depression.