Relationships Among Executive Dysfunction, Constructive Worrying, and Worry Responses in Older Adults

Worry is a ubiquitous human experience and core symptom of anxiety. The present study examined the extent to which specific aspects of worry are related to perceived executive dysfunction in older adults. A total of 100 older adult participants (M age = 68.82 years; range = 65-79 years) completed the Worry Behaviors Inventory, the Coolidge Axis II Inventory Executive Dysfunctions Scale, and the Constructive and Unconstructive Worry Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses found that worry constructiveness and response behaviors were predictive of executive dysfunction. Specifically, greater avoidance behaviors and unconstructive worry were uniquely predictive of greater executive dysfunctions. Thus, findings indicate that worry constructiveness and approaches to worry management are significantly related to cognitive functioning in older adults. These findings imply a need to assess both worry and executive dysfunction to more accurately determine causal factors regarding anxiety and cognitive decline in older adults.