Shifting the Emotional Impact of Repetitive Negative Thinking: Effects of Self- Compassion and Reappraisal Journaling

Abstract

Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT) is commonly associated with maladaptive psychological outcomes characterized by intrusive, perseverative thought patterns. Across literature, self-compassion has repeatedly been identified as a protective factor, and theoretical models of repetitive thought (RT) suggest that its outcomes depend on the mode of engagement rather than the mere presence of RT themselves. The present study investigated whether a self-compassionate reflection influences the emotional responses to RNT within a process-focused framework amid continued RT. Fifteen participants completed a brief within-subjects online journaling task involving three conditions: negative affect–focused reflection (NA-SC), positive affect self-compassion reflection (PA-SC), and cognitive reappraisal. Emotional distress (Subjective Units of Distress Scale; SUDS) and perceived thought negativity were assessed following each condition, and state RNT (RTQ-10) and state self-compassion (SCS-SF) measures were assessed at baseline, and following the NA-SC and PA-SC conditions. Mixed-effects models for repeated measures indicated a significant effect of journaling condition on emotional distress, F(2, 28) = 22.25, p .0001, with distress highest following NA-SC (M = 48.0), lower following PA-SC (M = 33.3), and lowest following reappraisal (M = 26.0). Perceived thought negativity also differed across conditions, F(2, 28) = 7.72, p = .0021, whereas state RNT levels did not significantly change (p = .1986). State self-compassion increased during PA-SC relative to NA-SC, F(1, 14) = 6.71, p = .021. Findings suggest that modifying how individuals engage with RT may lead to reductions of emotional consequences without reducing thought frequency, supporting process-oriented models of RT.