The level and quality of understanding of intrusive thoughts in preschool children

Abstract

Awareness that thoughts cannot always be controlled develops gradually. The aim of this research was to determine the level and quality of preschoolers' understanding of intrusive thoughts, relative to their gender, age, emotion preceding those thoughts, thoughts belonging (oneself or another), and their dividedness (capability to simultaneously think about more things). The sample included 71 children. The assessment was based on the Task of understanding intrusive thoughts and emotions they cause, which consisted of two stories -with a happy and a sad event. Regarding the level of understanding of intrusive thoughts, the results show that participants were more successful with the story with the sad event, than with the story with the happy event. Age was correlated with success only in the story with the happy event. There were no differences in understanding of intrusive thoughts relative to gender and thoughts belonging. Most of the participants showed an understanding that thoughts could not always be controlled willingly. Participants more often responded that the character did not want to proceed thinking about the sad, rather than the happy event. Almost all participants considered that the character could not think about two things simultaneously. The results show a great variety in children's understanding of others' feelings, their causes, and consequences. Regarding the role that the understanding of intrusive thoughts has in cognitive and emotional regulation, the results of this research point to the importance of quantitative and qualitative analysis of the understanding of intrusive thoughts at the preschool age.