The Efficacy of Working Memory Training on Working Memory Capacity, Psychopathology, and Mental Well-being

Abstract

Mood and anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychopathological disorders in the Netherlands (de Graaf, ten Have, Van Gool, & Van Dorsselaer, 2012). Anxiety disorders and major depression, which are the focus of this dissertation, affect respectively 10.1% and 5.2% of the Dutch population yearly. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 150 million people worldwide suffer from depression (WHO, 2008) and 15% of the world population will suffer from an anxiety disorder in his/her life (Kessler et al., 2009). Approximately 85% of these patients suffer from both depression and anxiety (Gorman, 1996). This high comorbidity rate might indicate a shared underlying etiology and is reflected in similar consequences. That is, both psychiatric disorders result in significant social and personal concern, which is associated with reduced quality of life, productivity and even significantly increased mortality (Doris, Ebmeier, & Shajahan, 1999). As a matter of fact, mood and anxiety disorders are responsible for 40% of the costs for work absence and disability to work (Hutschemaekers, Donker, & Richter, 2000). Unfortunately, the prevalence of these disorders has remained stable over decades, which might imply that contemporary treatments are not able to reduce these disorders (de Graaf et al., 2012).