Negative urgency and generalized anxiety disorder symptom severity: The role of self-reported cognitive processes

Abstract

An emerging body of research suggests that people who are high in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms are elevated in negative urgency (NU), a personality trait or disposition that reflects a tendency to engage in rash action to reduce distress. The factors that strengthen or weaken the relationship of NU to GAD symptom severity remain unclear; however, individual differences in attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and attitudes toward problem solving may be constructs that moderate the relationship. To examine this hypothesis, a large sample of community participants (N = 274) completed questionnaires online. Consistent with past research, greater NU was associated with greater GAD symptom severity. Greater GAD symptom severity and greater NU were both associated with lower attentional control, lower cognitive flexibility and a negative attitude toward the problem solving process. However, these cognitive processes did not moderate the relationship between NU and severity of GAD symptoms. Although the primary hypothesis was not supported, these findings advance our understanding of NU by providing support for a role of specific cognitive processes in NU.