The Effects of Mental Simulation on Coping with Controllable Stressful Events
Abstract
Previous research has revealed that writing or talking about traumatic stressors can improve health and psychological well-being. The present study investigated whether similar benefits may be conferred by mental simulation and whether such simulations can improve coping and affective responses to ongoing stressful events. All participants designated an ongoing stressful event in their lives. One third of the participants visualized the event and the emotions they had experienced (event simulation), one third visualized having resolved the problem (outcome simulation), and one third were simply followed over time (control). Event simulation participants reported more positive affect, both immediately and 1 week later, and indicated higher levels of planned and reported active coping strategies, compared with the other two conditions. Discussion focuses on the potential of structured mental simulation to facilitate coping with stressful events.
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Some studies suggest that structured mental simulations of stressful events can improve emotional regulation and increase the propensity for problem-focused coping.
“For example, some studies suggest that structured mental simulations of stressful events can improve emotional regulation and increase the propensity for problem-focused coping [137,138].”
From Impact of Media-Induced Uncertainty on Mental Health: Narrative-Based Perspective. (2025) · cites this paper as [137]
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References 45 · Cited by 95
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Frankl, V. E., 1963, Man’s search for meaning
- Tait, R., 1989, Unintended thought
- Authors
- Rivkin, I. D., & Taylor, S. E.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rivkin, Inna D.
- Taylor, Shelley E.
- ORCID
- Rivkin, Inna D.
- Venue
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1999-12
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1451-1462
- ISSN
- 0146-1672 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7433
- OpenAlex
- W2062116753
- Cited by
- 95
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 3.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- mental simulation, event simulation, coping, stressful events, positive affect, active coping strategies, visualization, emotion regulation, psychological well-being
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