Understanding the mechanisms of change in the reduction of repetitive negative thinking (worry and rumination): The Calming Minds project

The Calming Minds project is a six-year Wellcome Trust funded project that is focused on understanding the mechanisms of change in the reduction of repetitive negative thinking (worry and rumination), which is an important risk factor for common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. We will present an overview our work during the first two years of the project, including how we have incorporated expert-by-experience involvement throughout, and some of the experimental research we’ve been conducting to evaluate strategies to reduce worry and rumination. We will summarise how this work has helped to shape and inform the largest ever international trial of a cognitive behavioural therapy programme to reduce worry and rumination, which we will be conducting over the next three years. This upcoming factorial trial aims to understand which therapy components within a therapist-supported online treatment package are most important. This information will help us better understand repetitive negative thinking and make progress towards the long-term goal of developing and implementing effective, affordable, widely available, and scalable ways to prevent and treat anxiety and depression by targeting this key risk factor.