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Researchers of mind wandering frequently assume that (a) participants are motivated to do well on the tasks they are given, and (b) task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) that occur during task performance reflect unintentional, unwanted thoughts that occur despite participants' best intentions to maintain task-focus. Given the relatively boring and tedious nature of most mind-wandering tasks, however, there is the possibility that some participants have little motivation to do well on such tasks, and that this lack of motivation might in turn result in increases specifically in intentional TUTs. In the present study, we explored these possibilities, finding that individuals reporting lower motivation to perform well on a sustained-attention task reported more intentional relative to unintentional TUTs compared with individuals reporting higher motivation. Interestingly, our results indicate that the extent to which participants engage in intentional versus unintentional TUTs does not differentially relate to performance: both types of off-task thought were found to be equally associated with performance decrements. Participants with low levels of task-motivation also engaged in more overall TUTs, however, and this increase in TUTs was associated with greater performance decrements. We discuss these findings in the context of the literature on mind wandering, highlighting the importance of assessing the intentionality of TUTs and motivation to perform well on tasks assessing mind wandering.

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Salkovskis (1985Salkovskis ( , 1989 proposed a cognitive-behavioural theory to account for the development and persistence of clinical obsessions. The model considers two cognitive processes central in the develop ment of obsessions. First, the obsession-prone person attributes excessive personal responsibility of possible harm occurring to self or others in response to an unwanted intrusive thought. Secondly, in an attempt to deal with the discomfort and sense of responsibility associated with the intrusion, the individual develops overt or covert neutralising rituals that, in turn, increase the frequency and salience of the intrusion. In this paper we examine the empirical support for Salkovskis' theory and conclude that partial support can be found for the model. Consideration of the thought suppression research of Wegner and his associates (Wegner, in press) suggests a number of processes that may be involved in a reduced ability to control unwanted intrusive thoughts. The thought suppression research is reviewed and possible implications for obsessions are discussed. We then present a revised cognitive model of obsessions that focuses on the development of obsessions as the result of (a) dysfunctional beliefs concerning the need to control one's thoughts and @) various cognitive processes involved in a general breakdown of the obsessionprone person's mental control ability. The two models are discussed in terms of their implications for the treatment of obsessions.

One recent line of research in the literature on mind wandering has been concerned with examining rates of mind wandering in special populations, such as those characterized by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, dysphoria, and schizophrenia. To best conceptualize mind wandering in studies examining special populations, it has recently been suggested that researchers distinguish between deliberate and spontaneous subtypes of this experience. Extending this line of research on mind wandering in special populations, in a large non-clinical sample (N = 2636), we examined how rates of deliberate and spontaneous mind wandering vary with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Results indicate that, whereas deliberate mind wandering is not associated with OCD symptomatology, spontaneous mind wandering is, with higher reports of spontaneous mind wandering being associated with higher reports of OCD symptoms. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding both mind wandering and OCD.

Several prominent models of relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction imply directional relationships between these constructs (e.g., attachment theory, social exchange models of relationship satisfaction, the interpersonal exchange model of sexual satisfaction). Previous research has demonstrated that sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction are distinct but correlated constructs, but relatively few studies have examined how they are related over time. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine this association. A sample of heterosexual couples (N = 113) completed a longitudinal study spanning 2 years. At Times 1 and 2 they completed measures of relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction. Data were analyzed according to the principles of the actor-partner interdependence model using structural equation modeling. Significant actor effects were detected such that, for both men and women, one's own earlier sexual satisfaction predicted one's later relationship satisfaction. In contrast, one's own earlier relationship satisfaction did not significantly predict one's subsequent sexual satisfaction. Sexual satisfaction was a stronger predictor of subsequent relationship satisfaction for men than women. There were no significant partner effects. These results contribute to our theoretical understanding of sexuality and sexual satisfaction in the context of long-term relationships by providing support for theories that conceptualize sexual satisfaction as one factor that contributes to relationship satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record

The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS‐F; Frost, Marten, Laharte, & Rosenblate, 1990). Although perfectionism is thought to contribute to the development of psychopathology and the MPS‐F is gaining popularity for use in assessing perfectionism in clinical samples, to date the factor structure has not been examined in a clinical sample. Three hundred and twenty‐two individuals diagnosed with an anxiety disorder using the SCID for DSM‐IV and 49 nonclinical controls completed the MPS‐F as well as a measure of perfectionism (MPS‐H) developed by Hewitt and Flett (1991). Analyses suggested that the MPS‐F has similar psychometric properties in clinical samples to those in nonclinical samples, and factors very similar to those observed by Frost et al. (1990) could be extracted. A 3‐factor solution appeared more appropriate for statistical reasons, and the 3 scales based on these factors distinguished among diagnostic groups in a manner similar to scales based on the 6‐factor solution in past research. Results were discussed in terms of the potential utility of a 3‐factor solution and in terms of the general construct of perfectionism and the distinction between nonpathological high performance standards and neurotic perfectionism. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 55: 1271–1286, 1999.

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