Abstract

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable worry and is associated with specific cognitive and emotional difficulties including a threat interpretation bias (IB). Worry, especially in a verbal mode, has been shown to cause a temporary restriction in working memory (WM) capacity. This study examined whether the effects of worry on WM account for threat interpretation biases in GAD. Participants (N = 36) with GAD completed questionnaires assessing worry and related processes. Lower baseline WM was related to higher state anxiety, emotion dysregulation, intolerance of uncertainty, thought suppression, negative problem orientation, and lower attentional control, and was not associated with trait worry. Participants were trained to worry in verbal or imagery form, per Leigh and Hirsch (2011), and then completed a WM task and an IB task a second time. Induced worry, regardless of its form, did not significantly affect WM or IB. Theoretical implications and methodological considerations are discussed.

Highlights

  • ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to examine how worry affects the way people multitask and make sense of everyday situations

  • This study was a partial test of the theory in its attempt to address the questions: (1) What is the relationship of GAD symptoms and related cognitive and emotional processes to working memory performance? (2) How does a momentary induction of verbal or image-based worry affect working memory capacity and the manner in which people with GAD interpret ambiguous situations? (3) Does a restriction in working memory capacity mediate the effect of worry on interpretations of ambiguity? The present study focused on one part of the model, interpretation bias, as an outcome to ensure feasibility of the study design and because of its centrality to the psychopathological processes in GAD

  • This study found that induced worry, in verbal or image-based form, did not significantly affect working memory performance on a central executive task, or interpretation bias

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Summary

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to examine how worry affects the way people multitask and make sense of everyday situations

Methods
Results
Conclusion
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