Abstract

FACCIOLI, Juliana Sarantopoulos  and  SCHELINI, Patrícia Waltz. The frequency of counterfactual thoughts in people with or without signals indicatives of depression. Bol. psicol [online]. 2013, vol.63, n.139, pp. 201-216. ISSN 0006-5943.

Counterfactual thoughts (CT) are mental constructs of alternatives to past events, which have adaptive function. The objectives of this study were to assess and compare the frequency of CT between individuals with and without signals indicatives of depression and to evaluate conditions in which people from both groups evoke more counterfactual thoughts. Participants were 42 adults (85% women, mean age 43), divided into two groups: with and without symptoms indicative of depression. Each participant responded individually to a semi-structured interview, the BDI and BAI and a structured instrument to assess counterfactual thoughts in adults. Overall, people without any indications of depression reported fewer counterfactual thoughts and these were mentioned most often when explicitly requested.

Keywords : Counterfactual thinking; imaginative thought; depression.

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