Attention, Working Memory, “Conventional” and “Emotional” Verbal Fluency in People with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

There is evidence about the presence of cognitive deficit that includes executive functions in posttraumatic stress disorder. However, no previous study has evaluated performance in emotional verbal fluency in such disorder. Thus, the objective of this work is the comparison of cognitive performance (forward and backward digit span, conventional and emotional categorical phonological fluency) between people with and without posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis who were victims of natural disasters. Materials and method: interviews, were conducted, and tests of posttraumatic stress disorder were administered such as forward and backward digit span, phonological verbal fluency (with M), categorial

(animals and emotional states) to victims of natural disasters. The cognitive performance was compared between the people who did and did not meet the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Results: a lower performance in digit span tests was confirmed in posttraumatic stress disorder participants. However, it was observed a higher performance in emotional fluency. Discussion: The result of a higher emotional verbal fluency in posttraumatic stress disorder supports the idea of the presence of a “protective” mechanism that works by blocking the conscious access to episodic memory, which is very active and therefore, the negative emotional terms are more available.