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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
08:42
Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
Thought suppression and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors
Sadia Najmi1, Daniel M Wegner, Matthew K Nock
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|November 1, 2006
Summary
Suppressing unwanted thoughts may increase self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) in adolescents. This cognitive strategy is linked to emotional reactivity and using self-injury to escape negative feelings.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Adolescent Psychology
Background:
- Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) are significant concerns in adolescent mental health.
- Understanding cognitive factors mediating the link between emotional distress and SITB is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test a theoretical model linking thought suppression, emotional reactivity, and SITB in adolescents.
- To investigate the role of thought suppression as a cognitive mediator.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 87 adolescents.
- Self-report measures assessed propensity for thought suppression, emotional reactivity, and SITB (including non-suicidal self-injury [NSSI], suicidal ideation, suicide attempts).
Main Results:
- A higher propensity for thought suppression was associated with increased presence and frequency of NSSI, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts.
- Thought suppression partially mediated the relationship between emotional reactivity and the frequency of NSSI and suicidal ideation.
- Adolescents using thought suppression engaged in NSSI primarily for emotional escape, not social communication.
Conclusions:
- The propensity to suppress unwanted thoughts is a significant correlate and mediator in adolescent SITB.
- Findings support the negative reinforcement model of SITB, highlighting thought suppression's role in emotional regulation difficulties.
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