Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Comparing thought suppression and mindfulness as coping techniques for spider fear

Hooper, Nic; Davies, Nathan; Davies, Laura; McHugh, Louise

Authors

Nic Hooper Nic.Hooper@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Nathan Davies

Laura Davies

Louise McHugh



Abstract

The current study compared thought suppression, focused attention (mindfulness) and unfocused attention as strategies for managing spider fear. Spider fearful participants were exposed to a strategy induction before completing a Behavioural Approach Test (BAT). The BAT is a 10 step measurement of how close participants are willing to move towards a spider. Participants were instructed to use what they learned in the pre-BAT induction to help them advance through the steps of the BAT. The results of the study indicated that participants given the thought suppression or the unfocused attention induction moved through significantly less steps of the BAT than did those given the focused attention (mindful) induction. Additionally, the thought suppression group felt significantly more anxious than the focused and unfocused attention groups following completion of the BAT. These results are discussed in terms of the impact of thought suppression on avoidance behaviour in phobias. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.

Citation

Hooper, N., Davies, N., Davies, L., & McHugh, L. (2011). Comparing thought suppression and mindfulness as coping techniques for spider fear. Consciousness and Cognition, 20(4), 1824-1830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2011.05.013

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Dec 1, 2011
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Consciousness and Cognition
Print ISSN 1053-8100
Electronic ISSN 1090-2376
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 20
Issue 4
Pages 1824-1830
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2011.05.013
Keywords thought suppression, mindfulness, behavioural approach test, spider fear
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/957204
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2011.05.013
Additional Information Additional Information : Available online 11 June 2011