The effect of an executive functioning training program on working memory capacity and intrusive thoughts
Open accessAbstract
Recurrent intrusive thoughts are apparent across numerous clinical disorders, including depression (i.e., rumination) and anxiety disorders (e.g., worry, obsessions; Brewin et al. 2010). Theoretical accounts of intrusive thoughts suggest that individual differences in executive functioning, specifically poor inhibitory control, may account for the persistence of these thoughts in some individuals (e.g., Anderson and Levy 2009). The present study examined the causal effect of inhibitory control on intrusive thoughts by experimentally manipulating inhibition requirements in a working memory capacity (WMC) task and evaluating the effect of this training on intrusive thoughts during a thought suppression task. Unselected undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to repeatedly practice a task requiring either high inhibitory control (training condition) or low inhibitory control (control condition). Results indicated that individuals in the training condition demonstrated significantly greater WMC performance improvements from pre to post assessment relative to the control group. Moreover, individuals in the training group experienced fewer intrusions during a thought suppression task. These results provide support for theoretical accounts positing a relationship between inhibitory control and intrusive thoughts. Moreover, improving inhibitory control through computerized training programs may have clinical utility in disorders characterized by recurrent intrusive thoughts (e.g., depression, PTSD).
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Bomyea and Amir (2011) found, in an analog sample, that reduced working memory capacity, a core marker of cognitive control, predicted the severity of intrusive memories even after accounting for anxiety and depression.
“Bomyea and Amir (2011) found, in an analog sample, that reduced working memory capacity, a core marker of cognitive control, predicted the severity of intrusive memories even after accounting for anxiety and depression.”
From The body does not keep the score: trauma, predictive coding, and the restoration of metastability (2026) · cites this paper as Bomyea and Amir (2011)
The study’s summary reports that unselected undergraduates who improved more on working-memory performance through training experienced fewer intrusions during a thought-suppression task. The Methods (Assessments and Measures; page unavailable) say anxiety and depression were measured, but the passages do not establish that reduced baseline working-memory capacity predicted the severity of intrusive memories after accounting for both. The Discussion (page unavailable) distinguishes improvements in capacity from absolute levels of capacity. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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- Authors
- Bomyea, J., & Amir, N.
- Affiliations
- University of California San Diego (US)
- San Diego State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Amir, Nader
- Venue
- Cognitive Therapy and Research
- Published
- 2011-05-13
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 529-535
- ISSN
- 0147-5916 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2819
- PMC
- PMC3326397
- OpenAlex
- W1987796089
- Cited by
- 101
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 6.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Cognitive Therapy and Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (F31MH088170, R01MH087623, R34MH077129, R34MH073004)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- executive function training, inhibitory control, intrusive thoughts, working memory capacity, thought suppression, computer-based training, rumination, depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder
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