Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that cognitive reappraisal, which is an effective emotion regulation strategy, enhances decentering. On the other hand, other studies have implied the reverse in regard to this relationship: that decentering supports cognitive reappraisal. However, these possibilities have not yet been examined empirically. In the present study, we investigated the causal relationship between decentering and cognitive reappraisal by conducting two wave cross-lagged analysis. One hundred and thirty-eight Japanese university students responded to a questionnaire comprising measures of decentering and cognitive reappraisal tendency; the questionnaire was administered on two occasions, with an interval of 1 month. Cross-lagged analysis indicated the positive effect of cognitive reappraisal on decentering; however, the reverse possibility, that decentering influences cognitive reappraisal, was not significant. These results suggested that habitual use of cognitive reappraisal fosters decentering.
Highlights
Several studies of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) have indicated that “decentering” has beneficial effects on mental health
The females exhibited lower decentering than did the males, but there was no difference between sexes regarding cognitive reappraisal
The present study aimed to examine the causal relationship between cognitive reappraisal and decentering
Summary
Several studies of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) have indicated that “decentering” has beneficial effects on mental health. Decentering has been shown to contribute to improving anxiety disorders (Arch et al, 2012; Hoge et al, 2015). The process by which decentering positively effects mental health is considered to comprise the following: after negative events occur, decentering decreases repetitions of negative thoughts and reactivity to negative thoughts which, in turn, improves mental health (Segal et al, 2002; Teasdale et al, 2002; Bernstein et al, 2015). Studies have shown that decentering is enhanced by MCBT, and by other types of CBT; for example, Beck et al.’s (1979) CBT interventions for depression (e.g., Teasdale et al, 2002)
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