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A web-based examination of experiences with intrusive thoughts across the adult lifespan.

ABSTRACT: Intrusive thoughts and images are common across the adult lifespan, but vary in their consequences. Understanding age-related experiences with intrusive thoughts is important for identifying risk and protective factors for intrusive thought problems across the adult lifespan. This study characterized age trajectories for six aspects of experiences with intrusive thoughts using Internet data collection.Participants (N = 1427; ages 18-87) were randomly assigned to suppress (i.e. keep out of mind) or monitor an intrusive thought for one minute, and then later to monitor the thought for a second minute. Participants tracked thought recurrences during each thinking period, then reported their positive and negative affects following each thinking period, as well as their effort expended in suppressing the thought and perceived difficulty controlling the intrusive thought. Multilevel modeling and generalized estimating equations modeled the continuous relationships between age and each dependent variable.As expected, older age was associated with less decline in positive affect while engaging with an intrusive thought. Interestingly, older age was also associated with a sharper rise and fall of negative affect. Suppression effort increased linearly with age (though perceived difficulty did not). Finally, no age differences were found in either the frequency or duration of the thought's recurrence, adding to previous evidence that older adults function similarly to younger adults in their control of intrusive thoughts, despite certain age-related declines in cognitive functioning.These findings suggest a dissociation between age-related changes in emotional versus cognitive characteristics of engaging with intrusive thoughts.

SUBMITTER: Magee JC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3944111 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A web-based examination of experiences with intrusive thoughts across the adult lifespan.

Magee Joshua C JC Smyth Frederick L FL Teachman Bethany A BA

Aging & mental health 20140127 3

<h4>Objectives</h4>Intrusive thoughts and images are common across the adult lifespan, but vary in their consequences. Understanding age-related experiences with intrusive thoughts is important for identifying risk and protective factors for intrusive thought problems across the adult lifespan. This study characterized age trajectories for six aspects of experiences with intrusive thoughts using Internet data collection.<h4>Method</h4>Participants (N = 1427; ages 18-87) were randomly assigned to ...[more]

PMID: 24460223

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Project description:BackgroundHigh rates of negative intrusive thoughts have been reported among cancer patients. Prevalent users of beta-blocker therapy have reported lower levels of cancer related intrusive thoughts than non-user. The aim of this study is to investigate if initiation of beta-blocker therapy reduces the prevalence and severity of intrusive thoughts (co-primary endpoints) and the prevalence of anxiety, depressed mood, and low quality of life (secondary endpoints) in cancer survivors.MethodsData on patient-reported outcomes from three cohort studies of Swedish patients diagnosed with colon, prostate or rectal cancer were combined with data on beta-blocker prescriptions retrieved from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Two randomized controlled trials were emulated. Trial 1 had follow-up 1 year after diagnosis, trial 2 had follow-up 2 years after diagnosis, baseline in both trials was 12 months before follow-up. Those who initiated beta-blocker therapy between baseline and follow-up was assigned Active group, those who did not was assigned Control group. All endpoints were analysed using Bayesian ordered logistic regression.ResultsTrial 1 consisted of Active group, n = 59, and Control group, n = 3936. Trial 2 consisted of Active group, n = 87, and Control group, n = 3132. The majority of participants were men, 83% in trial 1 and 94% in trial 2. The prevalence and severity of intrusive thoughts were lower in the Active group in trial 1, but no significant differences between groups were found in either trial. The prevalence of depressed mood, worse quality of life and periods of anxiety were higher in the Active group in both trials with significant differences for quality of life in trial 1 and anxiety in trial 2.ConclusionsThe emulated trials demonstrated no evidence of a protective effect of beta-blocker therapy against intrusive thoughts. The Active group had reduced quality of life and elevated anxiety compared to the Control group.Trial registrationThe three cohort studies were registered at isrctn.com/clinicaltrials.gov (ISRCTN06393679, NCT02530593 and NCT01477229).

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Dataset Information

A web-based examination of experiences with intrusive thoughts across the adult lifespan.

Publications

A web-based examination of experiences with intrusive thoughts across the adult lifespan.

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