Abstract
Purpose: Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a major public health concern (Nock
et al., 2008; Bentum et al., 2017), and is key to the development of a variety of
dysregulated behaviours (Jungmann et al., 2016; Bergen et al., 2012). Thus, this
thesis aims to investigate reductive mechanisms for repetitive negative thinking by
analysing predictor variables in clinical and non-clinical samples. In addition, this study
also aims to examine the nature of RNT contents in highly religious individuals, and to
examine perceived reductive mechanisms for RNT in highly religious clinical samples.
Design/methodology/approach: A Sequential Explanatory Design (SED) was used.
This implements a quantitative design followed by a qualitative one. Quantitative
means of data collection and analysis were used to explore RNT, psychological
flourishing, self-compassion, perceived control, and neuroticism. In total, 530 adults
took part in this study (236 males, 253 females and 15 transgender people).
Participants consisted of clinical (N = 168) and non-clinical samples (N = 336) who
completed the Midlife in the United States Sense of Control Scale (MIDUS) (Lachman
and Weaver, 1998), 20-item Neuroticism Scale (Goldberg, 1999), a Self-Compassion
Scale (Neff, 2003a), a Flourishing Scale (Diener et al., 2009), and the Repetitive
Negative Thinking Questionnaire-10 (McEvoy et al., 2010). A follow-up of a Sequential
Explanatory Design (SED) was maintained following the completion of the quantitative
study. Qualitative clinical case studies with five women were conducted. Participants
were highly religious, with mental health comorbidities, and severe RNT. Case study
interviews were conducted with a semi-structured interview schedule. Interpretative
Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the data.
Findings: Participants who experienced high levels of psychological flourishing, selfcompassion, and perceived control, experienced minimal RNT. Neuroticism was
positively correlated with RNT. These findings suggest that psychological flourishing,
self-compassion, perceived control, and neuroticism may aid the reduction or
management of clinical and non-clinical repetitive negative thinking. In addition, some
individuals from religious populations may experience RNT content that is like that of
the general population. In the qualitative study, it was found that highly religious clinical
samples may make sense of their experiences of RNT in similar ways and may share
similar aetiological perceptions of RNT. In addition, loneliness/social
exclusion/withdrawal, insomnia/idiopathic hypersomnia, emotional dysregulation,
dysregulated behaviours, fatigue/severe migraine, adverse experiences, and attention
deficit, were linked to the experience of RNT. Furthermore, religion, creative art,
listening to music, positive emotions, relaxation, and integrative interventions were
linked to the control and management of RNT.