Impact of repetitive thought and processing mode on goal striving.

Background And Objectives: Striving to attain personal goals is important for maintaining well-being. Previous research indicates that repetitive thoughts can influence the affect and cognition associated with personal goal strivings. Repetitive thought in the concrete-experiential processing mode improves affect and cognition after a negative event more than does repetitive thought in the abstract-analytic processing mode. We extend this prior work by examining whether repetitive thought directly influences the maintenance of personal goal strivings through a longitudinal survey.

Methods: In Study 1, we examined the daily maintenance effect of repetitive thought on personal goal strivings using a multilevel analysis of 29 participants who reported their thoughts and goal strivings daily for one week. In Study 2, participants (N = 131) reported their thoughts and goal strivings over 10 weeks, and we examined the maintenance effect of repetitive thought on personal goal strivings every two weeks.

Results: Highly repetitive thought in the abstract-analytic processing mode decreased the maintenance of short-term personal goal strivings in individuals with difficult goals. However, highly repetitive thought in the concrete-experiential processing mode increased the maintenance of long-term personal goal strivings in individuals with difficult goals.

Limitations: The study participants were university students; therefore, we cannot generalize the results to clinical populations or other age groups.

Conclusion: Interventions that increase repetitive thought in the concrete-experiential processing mode may be effective in facilitating long-term goal strivings in individuals attempting to overcome difficult situations and achieve important personal goals.