Stavropoulos L, Cooper DDJ, Champion SM, Keevers L, Newby JM, Grisham JR. Basic processes and clinical applications of mental imagery in worry: A systematic review.
Clin Psychol Rev 2024;
110:102427. [PMID:
38640775 DOI:
10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102427]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
In this systematic review, we aimed to synthesise existing research on the phenomenology of mental imagery among high worriers compared to healthy individuals, and to characterise the nature and effectiveness of existing imagery-related interventions in treatment of worry.
METHODS
PsycInfo, CENTRAL, EMBASE, Medline, Medline Epub, and PubMed were searched for studies examining the relationship between worry/GAD and mental imagery, or interventions using imagery in treatment of worry/GAD. We assessed study quality and used qualitative narrative synthesis to comprehensively map study results.
RESULTS
The search yielded 2589 abstracts that were assessed for eligibility independently by two authors. From this, 183 full texts were screened and 50 qualitatively synthesised. Twenty-seven reported an association between worry/GAD and an aspect of mental imagery. Here, overactive negative and worry imagery, and diminished positive future imagining, were associated with worry/GAD. Twenty-three studies reported an intervention. This literature suggested mixed findings regarding efficacy, including for imaginal exposure as an independent technique for GAD.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings support dysfunctional negative imagining and diminished positive prospective imagery in GAD. General imagining abilities remain intact, which is promising for efforts to utilise imagery in treatment. Further research is warranted to develop innovative clinical applications of imagery in treatment of GAD.
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