How to remain neutral: An experimental analysis of neutralization
How to remain neutral: An experimental analysis of neutralization
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DOI：
10.1016/s0005-7967(96)00051-4
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发表时间：
1996-11-01
影响因子：
4.1
通讯作者：
Teachman, B
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Rachman, S;Shafran, R;Teachman, B
许多患有强迫症的患者都会进行中和活动，以减少或“消除”强迫症的影响。在许多情况下，中和是隐蔽的，因此难以通过实验评估或操纵。我们假设中和类似于明显的强迫。特别是，据预测：（i）中和可以减少由不可接受的想法引起的焦虑，（ii）如果中和被延迟，焦虑和中和的冲动就会自然减弱。为了检验这一假设，63 名容易产生认知偏差（已知与强迫性抱怨（思想-行动融合）相关的 S）被要求写出一个会引起焦虑的句子。采取了焦虑措施（以及其他感兴趣的变量，例如内疚、责任和伤害的可能性）。然后指示受试者立即中和 (n = 29) 或延迟 20 分钟 (n = 34)，之后重新评估焦虑和中和冲动。随后指示已中立的党卫军推迟，现在又指示已推迟的党卫军中立，之后进行最终评估。结果证实了预测，并支持了中和类似于明显强迫的假设。值得注意的是，延迟 20 分钟后和立即消除焦虑后，焦虑减少没有差异。讨论了设计和进行隐蔽现象实验所涉及的问题，并考虑了该研究的临床意义。版权所有 (C) 1996 爱思唯尔科学有限公司
Many patients with obsessive-compulsive problems engage in neutralizing activity to reduce or ''cancel out'' the effects of the obsession. In many cases, neutralization is covert and therefore difficult to assess or manipulate experimentally. We hypothesize that neutralization resembles overt compulsions. In particular, it was predicted that: (i) neutralization reduces the anxiety evoked by unacceptable thoughts, and (ii) if neutralization is delayed, anxiety and the urge to neutralize will decay naturally. To test the hypothesis, 63 Ss prone to a cognitive bias known to be associated with obsessional complaints (thought-action fusion) were asked to write a sentence that would evoke anxiety. Measures of anxiety (and other variables of interest such as guilt, responsibility and the likelihood of harm) were taken. Subjects were then instructed to either immediately neutralize (n = 29) or delay for 20 min (n = 34), after which time anxiety and urge to neutralize were re-assessed. The Ss who had neutralized were then instructed to delay, and the Ss who had delayed were now instructed to neutralize, after which time the final assessments were taken. The results confirmed the predictions and supported the hypothesis that neutralization resembles overt compulsions. Of note, there were no differences between anxiety reduction after a 20-min delay, and after immediate neutralization. The problems involved in designing and conducting experiments on covert phenomena are discussed, and the clinical implications of the study are considered. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd