Can positive mental imagery help high worriers stop worrying? An experimental test.
J Behav Ther Exp PsychiatryMay 2, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPsychiatry
Yogini Sawjani, Sofia Spyropoulou, George Bougas et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial investigated the effectiveness of positive mental imagery in helping high worriers (N = 201) stop worrying. Participants trained to replace worry with an unrelated positive image demonstrated a greater ability to cease worrying compared to a control group. The active condition showed stronger effects when facilitated by an experimenter.
Key findings
- Participants in the active condition were better able to stop worrying overall during the stop worry task than those in the control condition.
- The experimenter-guided active condition led to longer streams of non-negative thoughts compared to the control condition.
- Perceived ability to stop worrying was significantly better in the active condition versus the control condition.
Why it matters
Understanding effective strategies to manage worry can enhance therapeutic approaches for individuals with generalized anxiety disorder. This study suggests that positive imagery may serve as a practical tool for clinicians to help patients reduce excessive worry.