Worry impairs the problem-solving process: Results from an experimental study

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Highlights

  • •

    Worrying about a personal problem lowered confidence in solutions for high trait worriers.

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    Thinking objectively about a problem led to more effective solutions than worrying or focused breathing.

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    State worry predicted less intention to implement solutions, while controlling for trait worry.

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    Worrying beforehand led to elevated worry and anxiety after solving a personal problem.

Abstract

Introduction

Many individuals believe that worry helps solve real-life problems. Some researchers also purport that nonpathological worry can aid problem solving. However, this is in contrast to evidence that worry impairs cognitive functioning.

Objective

This was the first study to empirically test the effects of a laboratory-based worry induction on problem-solving abilities.

Procedure

Both high (n = 96) and low (n = 89) trait worriers described a current problem in their lives. They were then randomly assigned to contemplate their problem in a worrisome (n = 60) or objective (n = 63) manner or to engage in a diaphragmatic breathing task (n = 62). All participants subsequently generated solutions and then selected their most effective solution. Next, they rated their confidence in the solution's effectiveness, their likelihood to implement the solution, and their current anxiety/worry. Experimenters uninformed of condition also rated solution effectiveness.

Results

The worry induction led to lower reported confidence in solutions for high trait worry participants, and lower experimenter-rated effectiveness of solutions for all participants, relative to objective thinking. Further, state worry predicted less reported intention to implement solutions, while controlling for trait worry. Finally, worrying about the problem led to more elevated worry and anxiety after solving the problem compared to the other two conditions.

Conclusions

Overall, the worry induction impaired problem solving on multiple levels, and this was true for both high and low trait worriers.

Section snippets

Overall design

A 2 (Group: High vs. Low Trait Worry) X 3 (Condition: Worry, Think Objectively, Diaphragmatic Breathing) block design was used to determine the effects of worrying about a problem on various outcomes related to problem-solving.

Participants and measures

The current study recruited 185 volunteers from psychology courses in a public university. Students received class credit as compensation. Participants were largely young adult (M = 20.06 years, SD = 6.47) females (76.8%), with 57.8% identifying as White, 24.3% African

Baseline measures and manipulation check

At baseline, there was a main effect of Group, F (4, 176) = 15.92, p < .001, η2p = .27. As expected, the High Trait Worry group reported more baseline worry and anxiety than did the Low Trait Worry group. Further, the Low Trait Worry group reported more baseline relaxation and better mood than did the High Trait Worry group (see Table 1 for means and standard deviations). There was no main effect of Condition; F (8, 354) = 1.55, p = .139, η2p = .03; and no Group × Condition interaction; F (8,

Discussion

Research has long suggested the possibility of a connection between worry and impaired problem solving; yet no prior study has experimentally manipulated worry to test for a causal link. In this study we tested the effects of a controlled worry manipulation on several factors related to the problem-solving process, using both high and low trait worriers. Ultimately, we found that worrying about a real-life problem, relative to attempting to think about the problem objectively or diaphragmatic

Funding

The authors received no funding from an external source.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Sandra J. Llera: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing - original draft, preparation. Michelle G. Newman: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Writing - review & editing.

Declaration of competing interest

None.

Acknowledgements

This study was partially supported by NIMH 1R01MH115128-01A1 to Michelle Newman.

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