Effects of anxiety and sex on neuropsychological tests.

Abstract

The effects of anxiety and sex on neuropsychological test performance were studied. Thirty male and 30 female right-handed subjects responded to the Finger Tapping (FT), Form Board (FB), and State-Trait Anxiety tests. The original cutoff points for brain damage on the neuropsychological tests resulted in numerous false positives. Females performed significantly slower on the FT than males, and for females, trait anxiety was negatively correlated with FT performance and positively correlated with time to complete the FB. The implications of these results for testing psychiatric patients are noted.

Normative data on selected neuropsychological measures from a nonclinical sample

“…The lack of sex differences on Trails and on Seashore Rhythm in the present study is similar to the study of Dodrill (1979). In addition, Dodrill (1979), Gordon et al (1981), and King et al (1978) also have previously reported greater finger tapping speed in males; both Dodrill and Gordon et al also have reported greater grip strength in males. King et al found the better male performance on finger tapping to be inconsistent with previous reports of female superiority on tests of dexterity (Macoby & Jacklin, 1974).…”

“…As noted previously, the general applicability of those data to individuals with average or below average IQ or to those older than 40 years of age is doubtful. Fromm-Auch and Yeudall suggest that sex differences in neuropsychological performance have not been examined, although several previous studies on this subject do exist - (Dodrill, 1979;Gordon, O'Dell, & Bozeman, 1981;King, Hannay, Masek, & Burns, 1978). Further, Fromm-Auch and Yeudall appear to suggest that the mean Full Scale IQ of 119 observed in their sample is probably representative of a normal sample (with pathological samples deleted from the distribution).…”

Self-Reported Generalised Anxiety and Psychomotor Test Performance in Healthy South Africans

“…performance anxiety) (Minnaert, 1999). Whichever the reason for the anxiety, heightened anxiety is thought to compromise performance by increasing distractibility and diminishing working memory function, discernable in performance slowing on tasks (Eysenck, 199 1 ;Eysenck & Byrne, 1992;Keogh & French, 2001;Keogh, Bond, French, Richards, & Davis, 2004). However, data on the relationship of self-reported anxiety and performance on clinical neuropsychological tests are not always consistent.…”

Handbook of Neuropsychology and Aging

“…In another study with cardiac patients, anxiety was associated with an increase in reports of cognitive dysfunction, while neuropsychological test performance was not significantly related to increased anxiety or depression (Newman et al, 1989). King, Hannay, Masek, and Burns (1978) found a significant correlation between self-reported anxiety and performance on two timed tasks, the finger tapping' and form board tests, but only for female college students. Although this result may be related to actual gender differences in the way anxiety influences performance, they note that only the female subjects in their study endorsed significant anxiety symptoms.…”