A-152 Associations between Cognitive Functioning and Self-Report Mood Measures in a Veteran Clinical Population Article Swipe
YOU?
·
· 2022
· Open Access
·
· DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/acac060.152
· OA: W4292089264
Objective: To determine the strength of correlation between subjective mood distress and concurrent measures of objective cognitive functioning. Method: 334 veterans (89.6% male; 93.7% White) were seen for neuropsychological evaluation at the VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS; M/SD: age = 56.45/14.43; education = 13.16/2.37). Participants were administered a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and either the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and/or PTSD Checklist (PCL). Partial correlations were used to determine associations between psychological distress and neuropsychological test performance, controlling for age and education. Three clinical groups were created based on each mood measure’s total score: 1.) BDI-II ≥ 20 (n= 96); 2.) GDS ≥ 11 (n = 17); 3.) PCL ≥ 33 (n = 57), and compared to a control group - scores below moderate cutoffs on BDI-II (n = 102), GDS (n = 16), and PCL (n = 8). Clinical groups were not mutually exclusive. Independent-samples t-tests compared neuropsychological test scores between groups. Results: Two of the 111 bivariate correlations between the three mood measures and neuropsychological tests were statistically significant at p < .01, both with medium effect sizes (BDI-II and Pegboard dominant and nondominant hand). Across clinical group comparisons, none were statistically significant at p < .01; four from the BDI-II group were statistically significant at p < .05. Conclusions: Few associations were found between subjective reports of mood distress and neuropsychological test performance, indicating statistical independence. Consistent with other literature, these results suggest reported mood distress has minimal impact on concurrent cognitive performance, except for motor slowing.
