Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
The effects of suppressing intrusive thoughts on dream content, dream distress and psychological parameters
Tana Kröner-Borowik1, Stefanie Gosch, Kathrin Hansen
1Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Abstract:
Suppressing unwanted thoughts can lead to an increased occurrence of the suppressed thought in dreams. This is explainable by the ironic control theory, which theorizes why the suppression of thoughts might make them more persistent. The present study examined the influence of thought suppression on dream rebound, dream distress, general psychiatric symptomatology, depression, sleep quality and perceived stress. Thirty healthy participants (good sleepers) were investigated over a period of 1 week. Half were instructed to suppress an unwanted thought 5 min prior to sleep, whereas the other half were allowed to think of anything at all. Dream content was assessed through a dream diary. Independent raters assessed whether or not the dreams were related to the suppressed target thought. The results demonstrated increased target-related dreams and a tendency to have more distressing dreams in the suppression condition. Moreover, the data imply that thought suppression may lead to significantly increased general psychiatric symptomatology. No significant effects were found for the other secondary outcomes.
More Related Videos
10:38A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
Published on: July 16, 2015
09:14Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: March 14, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Dreaming
Lucid Dreaming
Studies have shown...
Repressed Memory
Psychodynamic Therapy
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Nightmares and Night Terrors
Nightmares often...