INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 05 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 02:30 pm - 03:45 pm Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60) Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry \| Addiction/Dependence \| Stress/Coping \| Emotional/Social Processes Final Abstract #36 Deficits in Working Memory in a Community Sample of PTSD Patients Christina Gillezeau, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Alexis Burks, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Alexandra Hernandez-Vallant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Isabel Solis, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Macaiah Shendo, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Naila deCruz-Dixon, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Teagan Mullins, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Kaitlyn Schodt, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Lynette Abrams-Silva, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States Category: Psychiatric Disorders Keyword 1: cognitive course Keyword 2: post-traumatic stress disorder Objective: The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) is a well-validated neuropsychological screening measure, however the influence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on RBANS performance is not well understood, particularly in adults in non-military samples. PTSD impacts attention and working memory, with attention deficits potentially caused by attentional bias toward threatening or emotional stimuli, and deficits in working memory seen with both verbal and visual stimuli. Both attention and working memory contribute to other cognitive functions, and are essential for successful psychotherapeutic treatment. This study aims to explore the clinical utility of the RBANS in the modification of psychotherapeutic delivery for patients with PTSD compared to patients with anxiety and other disorders. Participants and Methods: These data were collected from an adult community sample of treatment seekers presenting to a psychology clinic at a Southwestern university. All individuals seeking treatment from the clinic were first screened to determine appropriateness for outpatient level of care. The initial assessment included a brief cognitive screening measure, the RBANS, and a semi-structured interview, after which a provisional diagnosis and treatment recommendations were provided. All screening and intake procedures were conducted by clinical psychology graduate students under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists. Patients’ diagnoses were categorized as: (1) PTSD, (2) anxiety disorder (including generalized anxiety disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, illness anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder), or (3) “other” groups (including major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, insomnia disorder, binge eating disorder, persistent depressive disorder, or anorexia nervosa). We compared mean subtest scaled scores in list learning, an index of working memory, and digit span, an index of attention and working memory across the three groups. Scaled scores on the list learning and digit score tasks were compared between the PTSD and anxiety disorder group and the PTSD and other disorder group using the Student’s T-test. Results: A total of 27 patients both received the RBANS and a diagnosis at the clinic. Of those 27 patients, 14.8% had PTSD (n=4), 37.0% had an anxiety disorder (n=10), and 48.1% had another psychiatric disorder (n=13). Patients with PTSD had significantly lower scores on a list learning task when compared with patients in the anxiety disorder (t=-4.05, df=8.80, p<0.01) and “other” groups (t=-3.34, df=14.99, p<0.01). Patients with PTSD did not have significantly different scores on the digit span task compared to patients in the anxiety (t=-0.52, df=4.80, p=0.62) or “other” groups (t=0.35, df=5.56, p=0.73). Conclusions: These results are consistent with previous research, suggesting that patients with PTSD may present with deficits in working memory, however, attention may be intact when compared with patients with anxiety disorders or other clinical diagnoses. These conclusions should be considered in light of the limitations of this data, particularly the small sample size and heterogeneity of the clinical conditions. There are implications for treatment; clinicians working with patients with PTSD should be cognizant of potential deficits in working memory in this population. Clinicians may consider employing additional memory aids, written instructions and session summaries, or repetition to facilitate better treatment outcomes.

Poster

02/15/2024
02:30 pm - 03:45 pm
Room: Shubert Complex (Posters 1-60)

Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry | Addiction/Dependence | Stress/Coping | Emotional/Social Processes

Final Abstract #36

Deficits in Working Memory in a Community Sample of PTSD Patients

Christina Gillezeau, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Alexis Burks, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Alexandra Hernandez-Vallant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Isabel Solis, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Macaiah Shendo, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Naila deCruz-Dixon, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Teagan Mullins, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Kaitlyn Schodt, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Lynette Abrams-Silva, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States

Category: Psychiatric Disorders

Keyword 1: cognitive course
Keyword 2: post-traumatic stress disorder

Objective:

The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) is a well-validated neuropsychological screening measure, however the influence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on RBANS performance is not well understood, particularly in adults in non-military samples. PTSD impacts attention and working memory, with attention deficits potentially caused by attentional bias toward threatening or emotional stimuli, and deficits in working memory seen with both verbal and visual stimuli. Both attention and working memory contribute to other cognitive functions, and are essential for successful psychotherapeutic treatment. This study aims to explore the clinical utility of the RBANS in the modification of psychotherapeutic delivery for patients with PTSD compared to patients with anxiety and other disorders.

Participants and Methods:

These data were collected from an adult community sample of treatment seekers presenting to a psychology clinic at a Southwestern university. All individuals seeking treatment from the clinic were first screened to determine appropriateness for outpatient level of care. The initial assessment included a brief cognitive screening measure, the RBANS, and a semi-structured interview, after which a provisional diagnosis and treatment recommendations were provided. All screening and intake procedures were conducted by clinical psychology graduate students under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists.

Patients’ diagnoses were categorized as: (1) PTSD, (2) anxiety disorder (including generalized anxiety disorder, unspecified anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, illness anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder), or (3) “other” groups (including major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder, insomnia disorder, binge eating disorder, persistent depressive disorder, or anorexia nervosa). We compared mean subtest scaled scores in list learning, an index of working memory, and digit span, an index of attention and working memory across the three groups. Scaled scores on the list learning and digit score tasks were compared between the PTSD and anxiety disorder group and the PTSD and other disorder group using the Student’s T-test.

Results:

A total of 27 patients both received the RBANS and a diagnosis at the clinic. Of those 27 patients, 14.8% had PTSD (n=4), 37.0% had an anxiety disorder (n=10), and 48.1% had another psychiatric disorder (n=13). Patients with PTSD had significantly lower scores on a list learning task when compared with patients in the anxiety disorder (t=-4.05, df=8.80, p<0.01) and “other” groups (t=-3.34, df=14.99, p<0.01). Patients with PTSD did not have significantly different scores on the digit span task compared to patients in the anxiety (t=-0.52, df=4.80, p=0.62) or “other” groups (t=0.35, df=5.56, p=0.73).

Conclusions:

These results are consistent with previous research, suggesting that patients with PTSD may present with deficits in working memory, however, attention may be intact when compared with patients with anxiety disorders or other clinical diagnoses. These conclusions should be considered in light of the limitations of this data, particularly the small sample size and heterogeneity of the clinical conditions. There are implications for treatment; clinicians working with patients with PTSD should be cognizant of potential deficits in working memory in this population. Clinicians may consider employing additional memory aids, written instructions and session summaries, or repetition to facilitate better treatment outcomes.