title: A working memory training to decrease rumination in depressed and anxious individuals: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rumination is one of the hallmark characteristics of both anxiety disorders and depression, and has been linked to deficient executive functioning, particularly working memory (WM). Previous findings show that working memory capacity can be increased through training.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current study explored whether an adaptive stand-alone WM training could increase WMC and consequently reduce rumination, anxiety and depression by means of a double-blind randomized controlled trial in a sample of 98 patients with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No positive effect of training on WMC was found. In addition, the results show that a WM training was not associated with a reduction of rumination, depression, nor anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high drop-out rate in both groups (20.11% from pre- to post-training) and the overrepresentation of men and use of anti-depressants in the placebo group might have influenced the results. Furthermore, expectations and perceptions about the training might have interacted with performance on WM tasks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, results show that a stand-alone WM training in patients with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression does not result in reduced rumination nor in reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. We discuss potential explanations for these findings.
authors: Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: wanmaker@fsw.eur.nl.
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Wanmaker
authors: Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Elke
authors: E
authors: Geraerts
authors: Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Ingmar H A
authors: IH
authors: Franken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Rumination; Working memory; Working memory training