Episodic future thinking in generalized anxiety disorder
Open accessAbstract
Research on future-oriented cognition in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has primarily focused on worry, while less is known about the role of episodic future thinking (EFT), an imagery-based cognitive process. To characterize EFT in this disorder, we used the experimental recombination procedure, in which 21 GAD and 19 healthy participants simulated positive, neutral and negative novel future events either once or repeatedly, and rated their phenomenological experience of EFT. Results showed that healthy controls spontaneously generated more detailed EFT over repeated simulations. Both groups found EFT easier to generate after repeated simulations, except when GAD participants simulated positive events. They also perceived higher plausibility of negative-not positive or neutral-future events than did controls. These results demonstrate a negativity bias in GAD individuals' episodic future cognition, and suggest their relative deficit in generating vivid EFT. We discuss implications for the theory and treatment of GAD.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Episodic future thinking has been linked to emotional regulation, partly based on evidence of reduced specificity and vividness of episodic future thinking in anxious individuals with emotion regulation problems.
“Episodic future thinking has also been linked to emotional regulation, partly on the basis of evidence of reduced specificity and vividness of episodic future thinking in anxious individuals with emotion regulation problems (82–84).”
From Episodic Future Thinking: Mechanisms and Functions (2017) · cites this paper as [84]
The Discussion (section 4; page unavailable) suggests that people with generalized anxiety disorder have relatively less ability to generate vivid episodic future thinking, and the Introduction (section 1; page unavailable) links worry to reduced concrete imagery and emotional processing. The study does not establish reduced specificity as a separate finding or directly test whether emotion-regulation problems account for the difference. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
American Psychiatric Association (2013) · doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596 · Cited by 116,369 · see citing works
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Williams, J. B. W., & First, M. B. (2013) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.104 · Cited by 109,841 · see citing works
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed.
Carter, M. J. (2014) · Therapeutic Recreation Journal · Cited by 15,154 · see citing works
An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric properties.
Beck, A. T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R. A. (1988) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.56.6.893 · Cited by 14,407 · see citing works
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00088.x · Cited by 5,172 · see citing works
Development and validation of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire
Meyer, T. J., Miller, M. L., Metzger, R. L., & Borkovec, T. D. (1990) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(90)90135-6 · Cited by 5,099 · see citing works
Mental Representations: A Dual Coding Approach
Paivio, A. (1986) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 5,087 · see citing works
Atance, C. M., & O'Neill, D. K. (2001) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01804-0 · Cited by 1,300 · see citing works
Paivio, A. (1990) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195066661.001.0001 · Cited by 1,156 · see citing works
Generalized anxiety disorder: advances in research and practice
(2005) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.42-3716 · Cited by 1,073 · see citing works
Generalized anxiety disorder: A preliminary test of a conceptual model
Dugas, M. J., Gagnon, F., Ladouceur, R., & Freeston, M. H. (1998) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7967(97)00070-3 · Cited by 1,072 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Worry in the context of GAD is a type of future-oriented thinking style analogous to rumination (Nolen-Hoeksema, Wisco & Lyubomirsky, 2008), involving negative content in predominantly general and abstract verbal loops, lacking specific and concrete details (Dugas et al., 1998).”
(2004) · Cited by 863 · see citing works
<i>Episodic Simulation of Future Events</i>: <i>Concepts, Data, and Applications</i>
Schacter, D. L., Addis, D. R., & Buckner, R. L. (2008) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1196/annals.1440.001 · Cited by 840 · see citing works
Self-citationBorkovec, T. D., Ray, W. J., & Stober, J. (1998) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1023/a:1018790003416 · Cited by 802 · see citing works
Borkovec, T. D., & Costello, E. (1993) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.61.4.611 · Cited by 756 · see citing works
The nature of worry in generalized anxiety disorder: A predominance of thought activity
Borkovec, T. D., & Inz, J. (1990) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(90)90027-g · Cited by 634 · see citing works
Szpunar, K. K. (2010) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691610362350 · Cited by 624 · see citing works
Self-citationMental Imagery and Emotion: A Special Relationship?
Holmes, E. A., & Mathews, A. (2005) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/1528-3542.5.4.489 · Cited by 612 · see citing works
Addis, D. R., Pan, L., Vu, M.-A. T., Laiser, N., & Schacter, D. L. (2008) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2008.10.026 · Cited by 600 · see citing works
Self-citationExperimental manipulation of intolerance of uncertainty: a study of a theoretical model of worry
Ladouceur, R., Gosselin, P., & Dugas, M. J. (2000) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7967(99)00133-3 · Cited by 524 · see citing works
The Penn State Worry Questionnaire: Psychometric properties and associated characteristics.
Plaza, S. M., & Borkovec, T. D. (1994) · Cited by 523 · see citing works
Behar, E., DiMarco, I. D., Hekler, E. B., Mohlman, J., & Staples, A. M. (2009) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2009.07.006 · Cited by 505 · see citing works
Worrying: Perspectives on theory, assessment and treatment
Carmin, C. N. (1995) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/0272-7358(95)90175-2 · Cited by 500 · see citing works
Carroll, J. S. (1978) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/0022-1031(78)90062-8 · Cited by 479 · see citing works
Newman, M. G., Llera, S. J., Erickson, T. M., Przeworski, A., & Castonguay, L. G. (2013) · Annual Review of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185544 · Cited by 472 · see citing works
Imagery rescripting in cognitive behaviour therapy: Images, treatment techniques and outcomes
Holmes, E. A., Arntz, A., & Smucker, M. R. (2007) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.10.007 · Cited by 465 · see citing works
Anxiety, depression, and the anticipation of future positive and negative experiences.
MacLeod, A. K., & Byrne, A. (1996) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037//0021-843x.105.2.286 · Cited by 449 · see citing works
Imagination and expectation: The effect of imagining behavioral scripts on personal influences.
Anderson, C. A. (1983) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.45.2.293 · Cited by 433 · see citing works
The Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (ADIS-IV).
Grisham, J. R., Brown, T. A., & Campbell, L. (2004) · Cited by 430 · see citing works
Frequency, characteristics and functions of future‐oriented thoughts in daily life
D'Argembeau, A., Renaud, O., & Van der Linden, M. (2011) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.1647 · Cited by 428 · see citing works
Adaptive constructive processes and the future of memory
Schacter, D. L. (2012) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/a0029869 · Cited by 417 · see citing works
Self-citationThe effect of worry on cardiovascular response to phobic imagery
Borkovec, T. D., & Hu, S. (1990) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(90)90056-o · Cited by 386 · see citing works
Treatment of PTSD: A comparison of imaginal exposure with and without imagery rescripting
Arntz, A. R., Tiesema, M., & Kindt, M. (2007) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.10.006 · Cited by 290 · see citing works
Addis, D. R., Musicaro, R. M., Pan, L., & Schacter, D. L. (2010) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/a0017280 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
Self-citationSzpunar, K. K., & Schacter, D. L. (2012) · Journal of Experimental Psychology General · doi:10.1037/a0028877 · Cited by 195 · see citing works
Self-citationThe role of worrisome thinking in the suppression of cardiovascular response to phobic imagery
Borkovec, T. D., Lyonfields, J. D., Wiser, S. L., & Deihl, L. M. (1993) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(93)90031-o · Cited by 195 · see citing works
Retrospective and Prospective Cognitions in Anxiety and Depression
MacLeod, A. K., Tata, P. R., Kentish, J., & Jacobsen, H. (1997) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/026999397379881 · Cited by 185 · see citing works
Worry is reasonable: The role of explanations in pessimism about future personal events.
MacLeod, A. K., Williams, J. M. G., & Bekerian, D. A. (1991) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.100.4.478 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
Worry is reasonable: The role of explanations in pessimism about future personal events.
MacLeod, A. K., Williams, J. M., & Bekerian, D. A. (1991) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037//0021-843x.100.4.478 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
When the present visits the past: Updating traumatic memories in social phobia
Wild, J., Hackmann, A., & Clark, D. M. (2007) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.07.003 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
Grunert, B. K., Weis, J. M., Smucker, M. R., & Christianson, H. F. (2007) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.10.005 · Cited by 163 · see citing works
Worry, problem elaboration and suppression of imagery: the role of concreteness
Stöber, J. (1998) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7967(98)00027-8 · Cited by 162 · see citing works
Reduced Concreteness of Worry in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Findings from a Therapy Study
Stöber, J., & Borkovec, T. D. (2002) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1023/a:1013845821848 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
The future is here: A review of foresight systems in anxiety and depression
Miloyan, B., Pachana, N. A., & Suddendorf, T. (2014) · Cognition and Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699931.2013.863179 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Prospective cognitions in anxiety and depression: Replication and methodological extension
Stöber, J. (2000) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699930050117693 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
Miranda, R., Fontes, M., & Marroquín, B. (2008) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2008.05.009 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
Handbook of Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Psychology
(2012) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781118156391 · Cited by 132 · see citing works
“I’ll believe it when I can see it”: Imagery rescripting of intrusive sensory memories in depression
Wheatley, J., Brewin, C. R., Patel, T., Hackmann, A., Adrian Wells, A., Fisher, P., & Myers, S. G. (2007) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.08.005 · Cited by 129 · see citing works
Memory for Emotional Simulations
Szpunar, K. K., Addis, D. R., & Schacter, D. L. (2011) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797611422237 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Self-citationAffect, Emotional Disorder, and Future-directed Thinking
MacLeod, A. K. (1996) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/026999396380394 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Effect of worrisome and relaxing thinking on fearful emotional processing
Peasley-Miklus, C., & Vrana, S. R. (2000) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7967(99)00025-x · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Verbal versus imaginal cognitive strategies in the inhibition of emotional arousal
Tucker, D. M., & Newman, J. P. (1981) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1007/bf01172527 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
The differential functions of imagery and verbal thought in insomnia.
Nelson, J., & Harvey, A. (2002) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.111.4.665 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Concreteness of Positive, Negative, and Neutral Repetitive Thinking About the Future
Behar, E., McGowan, S. K., McLaughlin, K. A., Borkovec, T. D., Goldwin, M. A., & Bjorkquist, O. A. (2011) · Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.beth.2011.07.002 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Derbyshire, R. C. (1984) · Hospital Practice · doi:10.1080/21548331.1984.11702846 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Attributions and accessibility of explanations for future events in anxiety and depression
Byrne, A., & MacLeod, A. K. (1997) · British Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.2044-8260.1997.tb01257.x · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Memory for Emotional Simulations: Remembering a Rosy Future
Szpunar, K. K., Addis, D. R., & Schacter, D. L. (2011) · PsycEXTRA Dataset · doi:10.1037/e520602012-355 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Self-citationContributions of Clinical Psychology in Audiology: Hearing Impairment and Tinnitus
Andersson, G., & McKenna, L. (1997) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-0879(199703)4:1 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
(2017) · The SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.4135/9781483365817.n629 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Brown T Barlow D Anxiety disorders interview schedule adult version (ADIS-V) 2013 Oxford University Press New York, NY
- Wheatley J Brewin CR Patel T Hackmann A Wells A Fischer P Myers S I'll believe it when I see it”: imagery re-scripting of intrusive sensory memories. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 2007 39 371 385 doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2007.07.003 17915192 · DOI · Paper page
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Episodic Future Thinking: Mechanisms and Functions
Schacter, D. L., Benoit, R. G., & Szpunar, K. K. (2017) · Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.06.002 · Cited by 771 · see citing works
“Episodic future thinking has also been linked to emotional regulation, partly on the basis of evidence of reduced specificity and vividness of episodic future thinking in anxious individuals with emotion regulation problems [82 ,83,84].”
BackgroundSelf-citationHallford, D. J., Austin, D., Takano, K., & Raes, F. (2018) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2018.01.003 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
Retrieval of Emotional Events from Memory
Kensinger, E. A., & Ford, J. H. (2019) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-051123 · Cited by 174 · see citing works
Bulley, A., Henry, J. D., & Suddendorf, T. (2016) · Review of General Psychology · doi:10.1037/gpr0000061 · Cited by 157 · see citing works
Mental imagery in psychiatry: conceptual & clinical implications
Ji, J. L., Kavanagh, D. J., Holmes, E. A., MacLeod, C., & Simplicio, M. C. D. (2019) · CNS Spectrums · doi:10.1017/s1092852918001487 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Reducing future fears by suppressing the brain mechanisms underlying episodic simulation
Benoit, R. G., Davies, D. J., & Anderson, M. C. (2016) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1606604114 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Specificity of Future Thinking in Depression: A Meta-Analysis
Gamble, B., Moreau, D., Tippett, L. J., & Addis, D. R. (2019) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691619851784 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Increasing anticipated and anticipatory pleasure through episodic thinking.
Hallford, D. J., Farrell, H., & Lynch, E. (2020) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/emo0000765 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Qin, Z., Wu, Q., Bi, C., Deng, Y., & Hu, Q. (2024) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-024-01746-1 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Jing, H. G., Madore, K. P., & Schacter, D. L. (2017) · Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2017.08.010 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Self-citationLlera, S. J., & Newman, M. G. (2017) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.04.008 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Hunt, M. G., & Chizkov, R. R. (2014) · Anthrozoös · doi:10.2752/175303714x14023922797959 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Marsh, L., Edginton, T. L., Conway, M., & Loveday, C. (2018) · Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1177/1747021818758620 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Computational validity: using computation to translate behaviours across species
Redish, A. D., Kepecs, Á., Anderson, L. M., Calvin, O. L., Grissom, N. M., Haynos, A. F., Heilbronner, S. R., Herman, A. B., Jacob, S., Ma, S., et al. (2021) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2020.0525 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Beaty, R. E., Seli, P., & Schacter, D. L. (2018) · Psychological Research · doi:10.1007/s00426-018-1075-7 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Self-citationThinking about threats: Memory and prospection in human threat management
Bulley, A., Henry, J. D., & Suddendorf, T. (2017) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2017.01.005 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Brain mechanisms underlying prospective thinking of sustainable behaviours
Brevers, D., Baeken, C., Maurage, P., Sescousse, G., Vögele, C., & Billieux, J. (2021) · Nature Sustainability · doi:10.1038/s41893-020-00658-3 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Characteristics of episodic future thinking in anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Du, J. Y., Hallford, D. J., & Grant, J. B. (2022) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102162 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
A review on future episodic thinking in mood and anxiety disorders
Moustafa, A. A., Morris, A. N., & Haj, M. E. (2018) · Reviews in the Neurosciences · doi:10.1515/revneuro-2017-0055 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
How Imagination and Memory Shape the Moral Mind
O’Connor, B. B., & Fowler, Z. (2022) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/10888683221114215 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Hollis‐Hansen, K., O’Donnell, S. E., Seidman, J. S., Brande, S. J., & Epstein, L. H. (2019) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0214397 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Mathersul, D. C., & Ruscio, A. M. (2019) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1007/s10608-019-10048-5 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
The effect of increasing state anxiety on autobiographical memory specificity and future thinking
Hallford, D. J., Mellor, D. J., Bafit, L., Devenish, B. D., Bogeski, T., Austin, D., & Kaplan, R. A. (2019) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2019.101488 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Egbe, C. I., Ugwuanyi, L. T., Ede, M. O., Agbigwe, I. B., Onuorah, A. R., Okon, O. E., & Ugwu, J. C. (2022) · Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1007/s10942-022-00442-6 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Tang, P., Pavlopoulou, G., Kostyrka‐Allchorne, K., Phillips, J., & Sonuga-Barke, E. J. S. (2023) · Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health · doi:10.1186/s13034-023-00679-8 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Psychological wellbeing, memories, and future thoughts during the Covid-19 pandemic
Niziurski, J. A., & Schaper, M. L. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-021-01969-0 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Newman, M. G., Zainal, N. H., & Hoyer, J. (2020) · Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Worrying · doi:10.1002/9781119189909.ch10 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Montijn, N. D., Gerritsen, L., & Engelhard, I. M. (2021) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797620972491 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Cognitive mechanisms of episodic simulation in psychiatric populations
Brunette, A. M., & Schacter, D. L. (2020) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2020.103778 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citationSimulating the best and worst of times: the powers and perils of emotional simulation
Wardell, V., Grilli, M. D., & Palombo, D. J. (2022) · Memory · doi:10.1080/09658211.2022.2088796 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Hippocampal-Prefrontal Connectivity Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic Predicts Stress Reactivity
Perica, M. I., Ravindranath, O., Calabro, F. J., Foran, W., & Luna, B. (2021) · Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science · doi:10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.06.010 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Illesca-Matus, R., Ardiles, N. M., Muñoz, F., & Moya, P. R. (2023) · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · doi:10.3390/ijms241411372 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Does a novel training in mental imagery reduce pathological worry?
Skodzik, T., Adelt, M., Nossek, V. A., Kuck, S., & Ehring, T. (2018) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2018.07.005 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Calvin, O. L., Erickson, M. T., Walters, C. J., & Redish, A. D. (2025) · PLoS Biology · doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3002954 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Physical Exercise to Redynamize Interoception in Substance use Disorders
Brevers, D., Billieux, J., de Timary, P., Desmedt, O., Maurage, P., Perales, J. C., Suárez‐Suárez, S., & Bechara, A. (2023) · Current Neuropharmacology · doi:10.2174/1570159x21666230314143803 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Basic processes and clinical applications of mental imagery in worry: A systematic review
Stavropoulos, L., Cooper, D. D. J., Champion, S. M., Keevers, L. J., Newby, J. M., & Grisham, J. R. (2024) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102427 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Lalani, B., Gray, S., & Mitra-Ganguli, T. (2023) · Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnint.2023.1145744 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Ramsgaard, S. B., Bohn, A., & Thastum, M. (2019) · Memory · doi:10.1080/09658211.2019.1595660 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Liang, C., Huang, Y., & Hung, F. (2021) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.101668 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Branch, J. G. (2023) · Psychological Research · doi:10.1007/s00426-023-01802-2 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Huang, S., Faul, L., Parikh, N., LaBar, K. S., & Brigard, F. D. (2024) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-024-61545-x · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Mavromoustakos, E., Clark, G. I., & Rock, A. J. (2016) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161272 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Cha, C. B., Nam, R. J., Bell, K., Goger, P., Parvez, N., Pollak, O. H., Robinaugh, D. J., Sanghvi, D. E., & Schacter, D. L. (2024) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374416.2024.2384038 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Self-citationChang, J., Song, D., & Yu, R. (2023) · Neurobiology of Stress · doi:10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100584 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Opriș, A. M., Cheie, L., & Visu‐Petra, L. (2021) · Memory · doi:10.1080/09658211.2021.1896734 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Shin, K. E., LaFreniere, L. S., & Newman, M. G. (2018) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108140416.019 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Facilitating Episodic Simulation in Anxiety: Role of Sensory Scaffolding and Scenario Modality
Ji, J., Meyer, M., & Teachman, B. (2020) · International Journal of Cognitive Therapy · doi:10.1007/s41811-020-00070-x · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Faustmann, L. L., & Altgassen, M. (2024) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.3165 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Akbari, M., Jamshidi, S., Seydavi, M., & Hallford, D. J. (2023) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.4148 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Emotion in imaginative resistance
Campbell, D. S., Kidder, W., D’Cruz, J., & Gaesser, B. (2021) · Philosophical Psychology · doi:10.1080/09515089.2021.1932786 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Associations Between Worry and Positive Emotion Regulation
Palmer, C. A., Oosterhoff, B. J., & Gentzler, A. L. (2020) · International Journal of Cognitive Therapy · doi:10.1007/s41811-020-00081-8 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Hallford, D. J., Seydavi, M., & Akbari, M. (2024) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.2978 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Chang, M., Tan, A., Schaffir, J., Wegener, D. T., Worly, B. L., Strafford, K. E., Soma, L., Sampsell, C., & Rosen, M. A. (2023) · Journal of Pediatrics Perinatology and Child Health · doi:10.26502/jppch.74050139 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Marks, J., Schneider, S., & Voigt, B. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1211986 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Bredemeier, K., & Berenbaum, H. (2020) · doi:10.1002/9781119189909.ch3 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Specificity of Future Thinking in Depression: A Meta-AnalysisPreprint
Gamble, B., Moreau, D., Tippett, L. J., & Addis, D. R. (2018) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/y84pu · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Hallford, D. J., Austin, D., Takano, K., & Raes, F. (2021) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/xwfhq · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Early phase testing of functional imagery training as an intervention for anxiety
Andrade, J., Kavanagh, D. J., Bowditch, C., Mackriel, E., Ravenhill, E., Sime, A., Trumfield, E., Watts, J., & May, J. (2025) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/j.brat.2025.104786 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Mental Imagery in Early Psychosis
Auvinen-Lintunen, L., Ilonen, T., Kieseppä, T., Suvisaari, J., & Lindgren, M. (2021) · Imagination Cognition and Personality · doi:10.1177/02762366211021762 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Mental journey to the future and memory for future thoughts during the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown
Seco, M. M., & Aizpurua, A. (2023) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.4152 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self‐guided imagery rescripting for worry images: A preliminary experimental investigation
Stavropoulos, L., Briggs, N., & Grisham, J. R. (2024) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.23660 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Individual differences in functional connectivity during suppression of imagined threat
Westhoff, M., Vogelbacher, C., Schuster, V., & Hofmann, S. G. (2024) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhae458 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citationCase Formulation and Intervention: Application of the Five Ps Framework in Substance Use Counseling
Peters, S. W. (2020) · The Professional Counselor · doi:10.15241/swp.10.3.327 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Episodic future thinking in drug addiction
Morris, A. N., Haj, M. E., & Moustafa, A. A. (2020) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-816979-7.00008-x · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Szpunar, K. K., & Schacter, D. L. (2018) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781119170174.epcn105 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citationApplying a systemic approach for better outcomes
Lutter, S. (2024) · Financial Planning Review · doi:10.1002/cfp2.1193 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Emotional future simulations: neural and cognitive perspectives
Schacter, D. L., Kalinowski, S. E., & Wilson, J. M. (2024) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhae388 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Pathology of Imagination: Picturing the Worst
Castillo, A. J., & Condon, D. M. (2024) · Creativity Research Journal · doi:10.1080/10400419.2024.2365072 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Emotional anticipation of future vocational transitions: A person-centered approachPreprint
Parmentier, M. (2021) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/8mxy5 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Future anxiety and belongingness in young and older adults: An empirical study
Saraç, E., & Yıldız, E. (2025) · World Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.5498/wjp.v15.i6.106227 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
The mental simulation of state/psychological stimuli in anxiety disorders: A 3T fMRI study
Tomasino, B., Maggioni, E., Piani, M. C., Bonivento, C., D’Agostini, S., Balestrieri, M., & Brambilla, P. (2023) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.079 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Shevchenko, J., Arnold, M., & McClure, J. H. C. (2023) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.4147 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Marks, J., Schneider, S., & Voigt, B. (2024) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102444 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Emotional anticipation of future vocational transitions: A person-centered approachPreprint
Parmentier, M. (2022) · doi:10.31237/osf.io/s9ebk · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Calvin, O. L., Erickson, M. T., Walters, C. J., & Redish, A. D. (2024) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2024.03.10.584295 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Mental time travel in patients “cured” from primary central nervous system lymphoma
Pertz, M., Kowalski, T. E., Schlegel, U. S., & Thoma, P. (2021) · Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology · doi:10.1080/13803395.2021.1912299 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Neural Computations Underpinning Anxiety in Health and Disease
Walters, C. J. (2021) · University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy (University of Minnesota) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Characteristics of Episodic Future Thinking in Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisPreprint
Du, J. Y., Hallford, D. J., & Grant, J. B. (2022) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/ufkxh · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The Effect of Episodic Future Thinking on Negative Emotions and its Mechanism
Ba, Q.-Y. (2022) · BCP Education & Psychology · doi:10.54691/bcpep.v7i.2675
Computational Modeling in Various Cognitive Fields
(2023) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108755610.027
Computational Modeling in Psychiatry
Walters, C. J., Vinogradov, S., & Redish, A. D. (2023) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108755610.031
Transdermal delivery of Rauvolfia serpentina root extract for anxiety management
Abir, A. B., Mannan, M. A., & Hossain, S. (2023) · International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Life Science · doi:10.33545/27072827.2023.v4.i2b.95
Fratea, E. I., Ciucurel, M. M., & Cucu-Ciuhan, G. (2024) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs14111109
Gers, B., Weber, K. E., & Altgassen, M. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1531435
Imagining Failure: How Episodic Future Thinking Relates to Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms
Morillas, M. E. (2024) · Journal of Mental Health and Social Behaviour · doi:10.33790/jmhsb1100193
Armony, J. L., & Vuilleumier, P. O. (2025) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781009342919.020
Kensinger, E. A., Garcia, S. M., & Monkman, R. G. (2025) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781009342919.023
Postpartum depressive symptoms: the role of time perspective in early pregnancy
Sobol, M., Szczepaniak, P., Hryhorchuk, I., Plucińska, E., & Sobol, M. K. (2026) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-026-08160-4
Sheikh, M. J., & Khan, S. (2026) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-026-09819-7
Messina, A., Cárdenas-Egúsquiza, A. L., & Berntsen, D. (2026) · Memory & Cognition · doi:10.3758/s13421-026-01907-0
Wen, H., Zhang, S., Yang, S., & Mo, L. (2026) · Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1177/17470218261490745
Çiftkaya, Ş. G., Ay, E. K., & İkier, S. (2026) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.70295
- Authors
- Wu, J. Q., Szpunar, K. K., Godovich, S. A., Schacter, D. L., & Hofmann, S. G.
- Affiliations
- Boston University (US)
- University of Illinois Chicago (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hofmann, Stefan G.
- Venue
- Journal of Anxiety Disorders
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-12
- Volume
- 36
- Pages
- 1-8
- ISSN
- 0887-6185 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4658269
- OpenAlex
- W1609367337
- Cited by
- 97
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 7.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Anxiety Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- OpenBU (Boston University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- NIH (R01AT007257, R34MH078308, R21MH102646, R01MH60941, RO1AG08441)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Keywords
- episodic future thinking, generalized anxiety disorder, future-oriented cognition, imagery vividness, negativity bias, worry
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Anxiety Disorders, Female, Forecasting, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Perception, Thinking, Case-Control Studies, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
