Treating Repetitive Negative Thinking and Anxiety (1 CE)

Number of credits: 1

This course is for: Clinical psychologists, LMFTs, and Counselors

Course By: Rachel Schoor, PhD

Content By: Monteregge, S., Tsagkalidou, A., Cuijpers, P., & Spinhoven, P. (2020). The effects of different types of treatment for anxiety on repetitive negative thinking: A meta‐analysis. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, e12316.

Course Description: It is unclear whether psychological anxiety treatments specifically designed to target repetitive negative thinking are more effective at reducing repetitive negative thinking than other types of treatments. The present study sought to investigate this question by conducting a meta-analysis of research methodology. The meta-analysis included 46 randomized studies with a total of 3,194 participants. Participants were required to have a prior anxiety diagnoses or elevated anxiety related symptoms, and the studies had to include an active anxiety treatment intervention and a control group. Each of the studies included a measure of repetitive negative thinking, regardless of whether the intervention specifically targeted repetitive negative thinking. Interventions that focused on repetitive negative thinking were equally effective as other types of psychological interventions for anxiety when it came to reducing repetitive negative thinking and anxiety symptoms. Additional studies are warranted using formal mediation methodology to verify whether reductions in repetitive negative thinking mediates the relationship between repetitive negative thinking focused cognitive therapy and subsequent reductions in anxiety.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify three psychological treatments that may be of use in disrupting the worrying/ rumination process in clients with anxiety
2. Identify three aims of the present study
3. Identify three study weakness and at least one issue regarding the external validity or generalizability of study results

Course Outline:

• Read and understand The effects of different types of treatment for anxiety on repetitive negative thinking: A meta‐analysis
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Consider the strengths and weakness of the study, as well as issues concerning the generalizability of study results
• Work through the post-test questions; keep in mind that answer selections should be derived from the respective article
• Return to the referenced article for any missed questions and/or to better understand repetitive negative thinking, how it relates to psychological disorders such as anxiety, and possible treatment options