Examining the relationship between anxiety and social cognition in an adult population

Abstract

Anxiety is a prevalent emotional response that arises in anticipation of perceived threats. Its impact on cognitive functioning has been widely documented at both clinical and subclinical levels. While less extensively explored, evidence for the association of anxiety with social cognitive functioning, and specifically theory of mind (ToM), is emerging. However, specific limitations in existing studies constrain our understanding of this association, warranting further elucidation. The present study sought to explore the nature of this association further. Using a quantitative methodology, the study assessed whether individual differences in enduring predispositions to anxiety, trait anxiety (TA; low vs. high TA), and varying levels of situation-specific anxiety, state anxiety (SA), impact performance on ToM measures in healthy adults. 73 participants were administered a multidimensional anxiety assessment, measures of cognitive and affective ToM, as well as measures of possible confounds. Statistical analyses using independent samples t-tests revealed significant group differences across TA groups. Specifically, individuals with high TA performed worse than those with low TA on a cognitive ToM task. No group differences were observed on measures assessing affective ToM. Additionally, correlational analyses indicated that SA was not significantly associated with performance on any ToM measure. These findings highlight the importance of considering the impact of anxiety symptoms on social cognitive functioning in clinical practice, as well as the importance of distinguishing between anxiety dimensions and ToM subcomponents in research. Further studies are recommended to clarify the mechanisms underlying this association.