Thought Stopping

Description of the Strategy

Thought stopping is a cognitive strategy wherein individuals are taught to take control of negative, intrusive [Page 1067]thoughts and replace them with neutral or positive thoughts. The concept behind thought stopping addresses the issue of negative cognitions serving a reinforcing effect and leading to further negative thoughts and maladaptive thinking and behavior. Thought stopping therefore operates by interfering with the reinforcing pattern and replacing the learned behavior with a more adaptive behavior. Individuals are thus reinforced for the effort to stop their negative thoughts by becoming engaged in more positive, adaptive cognitive strategies.

Thought stopping is a commonly used cognitive strategy in cognitive-behavioral treatment of both children and adults. It is most frequently applied in situations when individuals' cognitive strategies are characterized by negativistic cognitions and high levels of maladaptive thinking strategies. In such situations, it is often the case that the negative thoughts either serve a reinforcing function or result in a reinforcing activity for the individual, thereby increasing the likelihood that the negative thoughts will be maintained and will recur. For example, children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may experience intrusive thoughts of contamination, and such thoughts are not abated until they wash their hands. The relief that is brought about by the hand-washing behavior serves to reinforce the intrusive thoughts of contamination. If children are taught to stop the intrusive thoughts, they may be able to avoid the reinforcing compulsive behavior.

Two thought-stopping techniques are commonly used: simple thought stopping and thought replacement. In simple thought stopping, the individual is taught strategies to recognize and stop negative cognitions. Thought replacement strategies involve teaching individuals to shift thinking to neutral or positive thoughts when they experience negative, intrusive thoughts. In this approach, positive cognitions replace negative cognitions, which are mutually exclusive, and therefore prevent the short-term recurrence of the negative thoughts.

When instructing children to use thought-stopping techniques, children are taught to follow a step-bystep sequence. Children are first taught to identify negative, intrusive thoughts and to be able to notice them each time they occur. As children become proficient at identifying intrusive thoughts, they are often taught a simple strategy for arresting the cognitive process. This usually involves teaching children to visualize a stop sign while saying or thinking the word Stop. Children may then be instructed to replace the intrusive thought with a more adaptive thought. The replacement thought may either involve restructuring the negative cognition, or it may be an unrelated thought involving a pleasant activity or situation for the child. Children may also be taught adaptive selfstatements to help them manage the negative emotions that often accompany negative thoughts. For example, youths with binge-eating problems can be taught to identify cravings for food or thoughts about food and eating. The youths can then begin using the visualization technique consistently every time they think of food. They may then proceed to repeat a coping statement to themselves such as “I don't need to eat to feel good right now.” The more consistently the thoughtstopping procedure is applied, the more likely it is to have an impact on the recurrence of negative thoughts.

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