Psychology ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-15-2024

Abstract

Mood symptomatology often negatively impacts cognitive functioning; however, little is known about how some disorders, like health anxiety, might be unique contributing factors. Social connectedness has been found to protect against cognitive decline, and thus might mitigate some of the mental health-related negative effects on cognitive functioning. The current study aimed to: 1) examine the associations between PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and health anxiety symptomatology and cognitive functioning, and between 2) social connectedness and cognitive functioning, as well as the moderating roles of 3) social connectedness and 4) biological sex and race/ethnicity in the association between mental health symptomatology and cognitive functioning. Results showed that PTSD had a stronger negative effect on several aspects of cognitive functioning relative to GAD, while health anxiety was not significantly associated with any of the cognitive domains examined. Social connectedness was positively associated with several cognitive domains. Significant interactions suggest that moderate to high levels of social connectedness may protect against the impact of PTSD symptomatology on cognitive functioning for multiple cognitive domains. There were no significant interactions for GAD or health anxiety. There were significant interactions between PTSD and some cognitive domains for sex, as well as between health anxiety and cognitive functioning for race/ethnicity. Findings highlight the importance of better understanding how mental health symptomatology impacts cognitive functioning, and the benefits of examining factors that may mitigate some of this harm. Additionally, findings highlight the importance of addressing protective factors such as social relationships in therapy, particularly for PTSD.

Degree Name

Psychology

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Psychology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Bruce W. Smith

Second Committee Member

Lynette Abrams-Silva

Third Committee Member

Jeremy Hogeveen

Fourth Committee Member

Kristin D. Mickelson

Language

English

Keywords

PTSD, anxiety, health anxiety, social connectedness, cognitive functioning

Document Type

Dissertation

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS