Repetitive Thinking (RT) is a form of thought repetitive, frequent, attentive manner about oneself and one's world (Segerstrom, Stanton, Alden, & Shortridge, 2003). Rumination and Worry have been grouped under the construct of RT (Ehring & Watkins, 2008; Watkins, 2008). Worry is a chain of thoughts and images focused on adverse predictions, negatively affect-laden and relatively uncontrollable (Borkovec, Robinson, Pruzinsky, & DePree (1983),). Rumination is defined as thoughts that repetitively focus the individual’s attention on his or her negative feelings and symptoms, their causes, meanings and consequences (Nolen-Hoeksema & Morrow, 1991). REBT focuses on RT when it explains it in terms of irrational beliefs and when treat it, mainly using so-called functional disputing (DiGiuseppe, Doyle, Dryden, Backx, 2015). MCT treats RT using metacognitive case formulation, practice of detached mindfulness and clinical and metacognitive monitoring in each session (Wells, 2000). Furthermore, REBT has also focused on the importance of rumination in cases of suicidal overthinking and on how rumination in clients at risk of suicide leads them to become habituated to their suicidal beliefs (Ammendola, 2018). In addtion, research data are presented which tested the hypothesis that self-rumination and self-reflection mediated the relationship between irrational beliefs and psychological distress. The results indicated that rumination mediates the relationship between irrational beliefs and psychological distress whereas self-relfetion does not (Artiran, 2018). LIBET deals with RT using constructivistic case formulation, questioning and constructivistic interventions and process monitoring focused on life themes untolerability and conditioning and plans utility and incontrollability.

Debate organizer: Giovanni Maria Ruggiero (3)(4)

Discussants:

Ennio Ammendola (2)(1), Murat Artiran (5), Gabriele Caselli (3)(4), Sandra Sassaroli (3)(4), Diego Sarracino (6)

Discussants' Affiliations:

1) Albert Ellis Institute, New York, USA;
2) Fordham University, Graduate School of Education, New York (USA);
3) Sigmund Freud University, Milano, Italy;
4) Studi Cognitivi Psychotherapy School, Milano, Italy;
5) Albert Ellis Institute Affiliated Training Center, Turkiye;
6) Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca