Studies indicate that rumination might play a role in obsessive–compulsive disorder. In a previous experimental study, rumination about an unwanted intrusive thought (UIT) maintained the urge to neutralize this thought. We sought to replicate and extend these findings with measures of behavioral and mental neutralizing. Additionally, we investigated possible mechanisms that might be involved in the effects of rumination on the UIT. We activated a UIT by asking students (N = 105) to write down a sentence stating that they wished a loved person would die in a car accident. Participants were randomly allocated to rumination about the UIT, rumination about negative mood, or distraction. As predicted, rumination about the UIT maintained the urge to neutralize the UIT, relative to rumination about negative mood and distraction. In addition, rumination about the UIT also maintained distress associated with the UIT compared to rumination about negative mood and distraction. The effects of rumination did not extend to behavioral or mental neutralizing. UIT frequency and vividness were unaffected by rumination. The present findings strengthen the confidence that rumination contributes to the maintenance of UITs.

研究表明反刍可能在强迫症中起作用。在先前的一项实验研究中，对不需要的侵入性思维（UIT）的反省保持了中立该想法的冲动。我们试图通过行为和心理中和的措施来复制和扩展这些发现。此外，我们研究了可能的机制可能与反刍对UIT的影响有关。我们通过询问学生（N= 105）写下一句话，表明他们希望亲人在车祸中丧生。参与者被随机分配到关于UIT的思考，关于负面情绪的思考或分心。如所预期的，相对于关于负面情绪和分心的反思，关于UIT的反思保持了中和UIT的冲动。另外，与关于负面情绪和分心的思考相比，关于UIT的思考也保持了与UIT相关的困扰。反省的影响并未扩展到行为或心理中立。UIT的频率和生动度不受沉思的影响。本调查结果增强了人们对反刍有助于维持UIT的信心。