Inhibitory Control in Individuals with Clinical Levels of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

Abstract

Previous research has shown that individuals suffering from depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) seem to have inhibitory control deficits compared with healthy controls. However, few studies have been conducted in Spanish-speaking countries. Thus, this study aims to analyze the performance on the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) between groups of Colombian participants with clinical levels of depression and GAD symptoms and a nonclinical control group. According to previous research, we expected to find significant differences in inhibitory control among groups. An ex post facto design was implemented. The SCWT was administered to a total sample of 105 individuals (64.8% women, M = 22.94 years, SD = 4.62), including 27 depressed and 15 anxious participants according to their scores on the Personal Health Questionnaire–9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7, respectively. Bayesian t-tests showed that depressed participants showed the same processing speed but lower scores on inhibitory control than healthy controls, BF = 13.70, δ = 0.50, 95% CI [0.08, 0.94]. Conversely, anxious participants showed deficits in processing speed, SCWT-Word: BF = 16.19, δ = 0.68, 95% CI [0.15, 1.24]; SCWT-Color: BF = 5.98, δ = 0.50, 95% CI [–0.01, 1.04], but not in inhibitory control compared with the nonanxious counterparts. This study provides preliminary evidence concerning the inhibitory control deficits in Colombian depressed individuals and processing speed deficits in those experiencing clinical levels of GAD symptoms.

Exposure to Depression Memes on Social Media Increases Depressive Mood and It Is Moderated by Self-Regulation: Evidence From Self-Report and Resting EEG Assessments

“…Particularly, eyes closed frontal alpha asymmetry showed a similar pattern to our subjective evaluation of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, such as difficulties in goal-directed behaviors in emotional distress and impulse control difficulties in case it is considered a lower inhibitory control, with a higher frontal alpha asymmetry score. Therefore, our results are consistent with those of studies that indicate that inhibitory control deficits result in increased processing of negative stimuli ( Gotlib and Joormann, 2010 ; Disner et al, 2011 ; García-Martín et al, 2021 ); this is vital for emotion-related problems because it allows individuals to limit unwanted behaviors, thoughts, and emotions and provides flexibility for adapting to diverse environmental contingencies and specific goals ( Anderson and Weaver, 2009 ). However, a higher frontal alpha asymmetry score also means less alpha activity in the left frontal cortex, that is, higher approach motivation to positive stimuli.…”

Corrigendum: Exposure to depression memes on social media increases depressive mood and it is moderated by self-regulation: Evidence from self-report and resting EEG assessments

“…Particularly, eyes closed frontal alpha asymmetry showed a similar pattern to our subjective evaluation of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, such as difficulties in goal-directed behaviors in emotional distress and impulse control difficulties in case it is considered a lower inhibitory control, with a higher frontal alpha asymmetry score. Therefore, our results are consistent with those of studies that indicate that inhibitory control deficits result in increased processing of negative stimuli (Gotlib and Joormann, 2010 ; Disner et al, 2011 ; García-Martín et al, 2021 ); this is vital for emotion-related problems because it allows individuals to limit unwanted behaviors, thoughts, and emotions and provides flexibility for adapting to diverse environmental contingencies and specific goals (Anderson and Weaver, 2009 ). However, a higher frontal alpha asymmetry score also means less alpha activity in the left frontal cortex, that is, higher approach motivation to positive stimuli.…”

How Self-Regulation and Executive Functions Deficits Affect Quality of Life of Children/Adolescents with Emotional Regulation Disorders

“…Difficulties in EFs were significantly more prevalent among the study group in all EF components (except for organizing materials). Previous studies showed that children and adolescents with emotional regulation disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD) and depression, had greater EF difficulties in inhibition [66,67]. The existing literature focuses mainly on specific EF components, also measured in the lab by neuropsychological assessments [68,69], while the present study, which used the BRIEF, referred to all EF components.…”