Emotional processing, three modes of mind and the prevention of relapse in depression.
J D Teasdale
Behaviour Research and Therapy July 1, 1999 DOI: 10.1016/s0005-7967(99)00050-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Depression |
| Keywords | Humans Defense mechanisms Affect Self efficacy Mental processes Attention Models, psychological Female Secondary prevention Cognitive behavioral therapy |
| Key points | Argues that effective emotional processing, occurring in a 'mindful experiencing/being' mode, modifies affect-related schematic mental models and reduces the ability of cues to reactivate depressive cycles, whereas 'conceptualising/doing' may perpetuate depression through rumination. Proposes that teaching recovered depressed patients to intentionally switch processing modes by redeploying attention is a further relapse-prevention strategy, supported by results of a recent mindfulness-based cognitive therapy trial. |
Abstract
Rachman's (1980) analysis [Rachman, S. (1980). Emotional processing. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 18, 51-60] of emotional processing is extended and applied to the prevention of relapse and recurrence in depression. It is proposed that effective emotional processing leads to changes in the ability of triggering cues to reactivate depressogenic processing cycles at times of potential relapse. Available evidence supports the usefulness of the probe methodology of the emotional processing framework as a way to investigate processes mediating relapse prevention by cognitive therapy. It is proposed that effective emotional processing involves creation of modified affect-related schematic mental models and that this occurs most effectively only within certain processing configurations or modes of mind. Within the Interacting Cognitive Subsystems (ICS) framework, three modes of processing emotional material can be distinguished: 'mindless emoting'; 'conceptualising/doing' and 'mindful experiencing/being'. Only the last of these facilitates emotional processing; the second may prevent effective emotional processing and perpetuate depression by ruminative, conceptually dominated processing. This analysis suggests a further strategy to prevent relapse, in addition to modifying depressogenic schematic models, by teaching recovered depressed patients skills to switch processing modes by intentional redeployment of attention. Results of a recent trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy support the effectiveness of this novel alternative strategy.
Comparable studies
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|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
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| The Yale Manual for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy of Depression (using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Therapeutic Frame) | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Neuroinflammation and neuroprogression in depression: Effects of alternative drug treatments | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Improving cognitive functioning in major depressive disorder with psychedelics: A dimensional approach | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 49
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Contemplating Mindfulness at Work Journal of Management November 19, 2015
- Clarifying the construct of mindfulness in the context of emotion regulation and the process of change in therapy. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Assessing adolescent mindfulness: Validation of an Adapted Mindful Attention Awareness Scale in adolescent normative and psychiatric populations. Psychological Assessment 2011
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