Investigating Cognitive Control and Repetitive Thinking in Clinical Groups With Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Some theories state that a deficiency in cognitive control makes people more vulnerable to the occurrence of repetitive negative thoughts. The present study is aimed to investigate the association between cognitive control and repetitive thinking in major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Thirty people with major depressive disorder and 30 people with generalized anxiety disorder were selected by purposive sampling method from counseling and psychiatry centers in Shiraz City. Then, the Stroop and Wisconsin tests were performed and the questionnaires on rumination, worry, depression, and anxiety were completed. The obtained results were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

The results showed that there was a negative and significant relationship between cognitive control and rumination in the depression group and worry in the generalized anxiety group. The level of cognitive control, rumination, and worry was not significantly different in cases with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

Based on the results of this study, reducing attention control is considered a risk factor for repetitive thinking, including rumination and worry. The lack of significant difference in cognitive control, rumination, and worry can indicate common unified transdiagnostic components in these disorders.