ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a theoretical model of attentional processes involved in the self-regulation of emotion. First, it offers a brief overview of the link between self-focused attention and emotional distress. Then it presents a detailed information-processing model of the cognitive-attentional syndrome underlying this association. Then the chapter considers the application of the model to explaining the aetiology of negative emotion, the roles of distraction and attention training in therapy, and the explanation of experimentally observed biases in processing emotional stimuli. The chapter presents an integrative model of cognitive-attentional processing which predisposes to emotional distress. It considers the integration of cognitive and psychobiological theory in more detail. Finally, it should be noted that other traits may also be important, such as extraversion-introversion, which appears to be a good predictor of future depression. Finally, the chapter presents a detailed model of cognitive processing as it relates to emotional disorder.
