Abstract

Previous researches have shown that anxiety symptoms are negatively associated with measures of intelligence. However, recent findings indicate possible positive relationships between generalized anxiety disorders, worry, rumination, post event processing and intelligence. The present study examined the relationships between GAD, as well as their underlying cognitive processes including worry, rumination, and post-event processing, with verbal and non-verbal intelligence. The study was performed on two groups of subjects including those with GAD and Healthy Volunteer group. The number of 40 healthy volunteers as a control group and 41 patients with GAD as case group were selected (N=81). Verbal and non-verbal intelligence were measured with WAIS-III. Rumination and post-event processing were measured by PSWQ, RRS-BR and PEPQ, respectively. The results indicated the significant difference in the intelligence between GAD and normal groups. In other words, high degree of worry, rumination and post-event processing in patients with GAD correlated positively with general and verbal intelligence. However, verbal and non-verbal intelligence had negative correlation with worry, rumination and post event processing in healthy volunteers. Investigation of the possible connections between intelligence and the cognitive processes underlying emotional disorders can provide therapeutic strategies for smart individuals who are exposure to GAD disorder.

Keywords: Verbal intelligence; Non-verbal intelligence; Generalized anxiety disorder; Worry; Rumination; Post event processing