Most of our measures of a key cognitive process don't agree

It is widely acknowledged that publishing negative results in scientific journals is nearly impossible. Unpublished lab lore and low-profile journals often become the destination for such findings. However, Nature, a high-profile journal, made an exception this week by publishing a study that reveals inconsistencies in methods used to measure a key emotional ability.

These results indicate that various methods employed in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to measure this concept, a fundamental aspect of therapy, do not consistently measure the same thing. The inconsistency raises questions about the validity of cognitive reappraisal, a critical component of CBT. This ability, which involves reinterpreting negative situations to reduce their impact, is associated with emotional resilience.