Abstract
It has been shown recently that a specific intervention designed to modify the overgeneralization bias [i.e., concreteness training (CNT)] can decrease depressive symptoms. The intervention, however, involves multiple components (e.g., relaxation, problem solving), so it is not clear if the increase in concrete processing is the crucial mechanism in ameliorating depressive symptoms. Using a dismantling design, this online study examined whether targeting only concrete processing in the absence of a therapeutic context reduces depressive symptoms. Forty-two stable dysphoric participants were randomly allocated to either a waiting list or a 7-days concreteness training condition. Compared with the control group, concrete processing training resulted in a significant increase in the concreteness of thinking. No significant differences in autobiographical memory specificity, depressive symptoms, or rumination, however, were obtained post-intervention between the two groups. These findings suggest that concrete processing can be trained, but training effects may not generalize to untrained cognitive contents. The effectiveness of CNT as a standalone treatment for depression may be limited.
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Notes
For the purposes of this study, participants were asked to rate their depressive symptoms on BDI-II over the most recent week.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Ernst Koster for his valuable comments on earlier drafts of this paper and Jeffrey Willett for the scientific writing and editing assistance. Cristina Mogoaşe wishes to thank for the financial support provided from programs co-financed by The Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development, Contract POSDRU 88/1.5/S/56949—“Ph.D. reform project in medical sciences: An integrative perspective, from financing and organization to scientific performance and impact.”
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Mogoaşe, C., Brăilean, A. & David, D. Can Concreteness Training Alone Reduce Depressive Symptoms? A Randomized Pilot Study Using an Internet-Delivered Protocol. Cogn Ther Res 37, 704–712 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9514-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9514-z