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Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with fragile (defensive, unstable, or contingent) self-esteem are more likely to engage in defensive, selfpromoting or self-protective behavior than are individuals with secure high self-esteem. The current study is the first to examine how well all three fragile self-esteem markers predict coping with negative intrusive thoughts following an ego threat. Consistent with the hypothesis, fragile self-esteem was associated with suppressing negative test-related thoughts, punishing the self for experiencing such thoughts, and downplaying the importance of the threat. The results add to the growing body of evidence documenting the maladaptive nature of fragile self-esteem, and suggest a mechanism by which these individuals may be vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Inconsistent results have emerged in thought suppression studies using thought frequency counts as the primary dependent measure. In the present study, we used cognitive and emotional measures to assess the effects of suppressing negative self-referent and neutral thoughts. Although no between-group differences in cognitive outcomes emerged, participants in the negative self-referent thought condition experienced more anxiety, frustration, and hostility than did participants in the neutral thought condition. Affective measures appear necessary to assess the effects of suppressing personally relevant thoughts.

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