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Intrusive imagery and goals: a control theory perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2009

Stuart Reid
Stuart Reid*
Affiliation:
Five Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust, Enhanced Day Therapies, St Helens, UK
*
*Author for correspondence: Dr S. Reid, Five Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust – Enhanced Day Therapies, Knowsley House, Peasley Cross Hospital, Marshalls Cross Road, St Helens WA9 3DE, UK. (email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Recently, autobiographical memory theorists proposed that intrusive imagery contains important information about goals. This study examined thematic links between approach and avoidance goals in two groups: a clinical group (n = 22) and a non-clinical group (n = 24). Participants completed the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), Goals Task and an imagery interview. In the total sample, almost 90% of reported imagery matched at least one goal. Eighty-five percent of clinical participants reported imagery that matched avoidance goals, whereas only half of non-clinical participants' imagery matched an avoidance goal. The majority of imagery was found to be associated with a particular memory or a collection of memories for similar events. These findings support proposals that intrusive imagery contains important information about goals, and in particular states of the world to be avoided. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords

Case formulationcontrolintrusive cognitionsmemoryqualitative methods
Type
Original Research
Information
the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , September 2009 , pp. 134 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2009

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References

Recommended follow-up reading

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