Resource allocation theory suggests that rumination depletes cognitive resources that could be directed toward task-relevant processes. We propose a new approach to the treatment of rumination that specifically targets this misappropriation of cognitive resources, wherein individuals engage in an attentionally demanding task in order to interrupt the ruminative cycle. We argue that this strategy would serve to free cognitive resources from rumination and facilitate performance on other tasks. Thus, the present study served as an initial test of this novel approach. This study employed a within-subjects design, in which participants were 30 college students who completed self-report measures of baseline mood state, anxiety, depression, and trait rumination. Subsequently, they underwent sad mood and rumination inductions followed by random assignment to either a low attentional demand disengagement strategy (DS) followed by a high attentional demand DS or vice versa. Reading comprehension was assessed at baseline and following each of the two DSs. The high attentional demand DS condition was associated with better performance on the reading comprehension task compared to the low attentional demand DS condition. These results provide initial support for our novel approach to targeting rumination and demonstrate that attentionally demanding DSs may successfully free cognitive resources that might otherwise be consumed by rumination. Thus, future research into attentionally demanding DSs that interrupt ruminative cycles is warranted. This approach could be a useful adjunct for interventions targeting disorders driven by rumination, such as depression.

中文翻译：

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清洁注意力Pal：促进脱离沉思的新方法的初步测试。

资源分配理论表明，反省消耗了可能用于与任务相关的过程的认知资源。我们提出了一种针对反刍的新方法，该方法专门针对这种对认知资源的盗用，其中个人从事一项注意力要求很高的任务，以中断反刍循环。我们认为，这种策略将有助于使认知资源免于沉思，并促进其他任务的执行。因此，本研究作为这种新颖方法的初步测试。这项研究采用受试者内部设计，其中30名大学生完成了基线情绪状态，焦虑，抑郁和特质反省的自我报告。后来，他们经历了悲伤的情绪和反省感，然后随机分配到低注意力需求脱离策略（DS），然后是高注意力需求DS，反之亦然。在基线和两个DS中的每一个之后评估阅读理解。与低注意力需求DS条件相比，高注意力需求DS条件与阅读理解任务的性能更高。这些结果为我们针对反刍的新颖方法提供了初步的支持，并证明要求苛刻的DS可以成功释放可能反省的认知资源。因此，有必要对中断反刍周期的注意力集中的DS进行进一步的研究。