Trait anxiety is associated with impairments in attentional control and processing efficiency (see Berggren & Derakshan, 2013, for a review). Working memory training using the adaptive dual n-back task has shown to improve attentional control in subclinical depression with transfer effects at the behavioral and neural level on a working memory task (Owens, Koster, & Derakshan, 2013). Here, we examined the beneficial effects of working memory training on attentional control in pre-selected high trait anxious individuals who underwent a three week daily training intervention using the adaptive dual n-back task. Pre and post outcome measures of attentional control were assessed using a Flanker task that included a stress induction and an emotional a Antisaccade task (with angry and neutral faces as target). Resting state EEG (theta/beta ratio) was recorded to as a neural marker of trait attentional control. Our results showed that adaptive working memory training improved attentional control with transfer effects on the Flanker task and resting state EEG, but effects of training on the Antisaccade task were less conclusive. Finally, training related gains were associated with lower levels of trait anxiety at post (vs pre) intervention. Our results demonstrate that adaptive working memory training in anxiety can have beneficial effects on attentional control and cognitive performance that may protect against emotional vulnerability in individuals at risk of developing clinical anxiety.

According to the Attentional Control Theory of Anxiety (Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos & Calvo, 2007), worry, a crucial component of anxiety, impairs task performance outcome(s) through its direct effect on working memory capacity (WMC), by using up the limited resources available for performance thus reducing attentional control. We tested this hypothesis in the current study by examining the causal influence of active worrying on WMC in a sample of undergraduate university students assigned either to a worry condition (n = 32) in which state worry was induced or to a non-worry control condition (n = 32). Participants performed a change detection task before and after the worry/control manipulation. Mediation analyses showed that the level of self-reported worry mediated the effects of condition on change in WMC as demonstrated by the significant indirect effect of worry and the resulting non-significant direct effect of condition on change in WMC. Similar results were obtained when using state anxiety measures as mediating factors. Results of the current study are amongst the first to demonstrate that worry impairs WMC and as such have important implications for understanding the impact of worry in educational as well as clinical outcomes.

Today many universities provide courses on positive psychology. Previous studies have showed that the positive psychology course may serve to improve well-being of students. However, previous studies had limitations in sample size and sample characteristics. In the current study, we aimed to assess the beneficial effect of a compulsory positive psychology course on well-being, happiness, emotional expressiveness, life satisfaction, emotional intelligence and social intelligence in addition to experiences in close relationships. In total 308 undergraduate students (Mean age = 20, SD = 3; 237 female, 71 male) who took the positive psychology course volunteered to participate and filled in self-report questionnaires before and after the course (14 weeks later). The results showed that the participants' overall happiness and emotional expressiveness increased after taking the positive psychology course. We conclude that positive psychology course is not only instructive, but it may also serve to increase happiness and emotional abilities of students.

No abstract

No abstract