Information Processing Biases in Specific Phobia

特定恐惧症中的信息处理偏差

• 批准号: 7053118
• 负责人: SHANNAN B SMITH-JANIK
• 金额: $ 2.74万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-09-15 至 2007-09-14
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7053118
• 关键词: Arachnida; adolescence (12-20); age difference; anxiety; attention; avoidance behavior; behavioral /social science research tag; behavioral habituation /sensitization; bias; child psychology; clinical research; disease /disorder onset; disease /disorder proneness /risk; escape reaction; fear; human subject; interview; memory; middle childhood (6-11); neural information processing; phobias; predoctoral investigator; psychological tests; questionnaires

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The role of information processing biases (e.g. distortions in attention, interpretation, and memory) in the onset and maintenance of anxiety disorders in childhood is understudied. This is concerning given the large number of children suffering from anxiety and the evidence from adult populations that biases likely play a significant role in the persistence of pathological anxiety. Research suggests that anxious youth show patterns of information processing biases similar to adults (biases toward threat-relevant information); however, the nature of these biases and the age at which they are established is unclear. This study will investigate biases in attention, interpretation, and memory, in spider fearful and non-fearful children (age 9-10; N=30 per fear group) and young adults (age 18-19; N=30 per fear group) to evaluate predictions from cognitive theories of anxiety and fear. Interactions between information processing biases and an established risk factor for anxiety (behavioral inhibition) will be examined for their ability to predict subjective distress, avoidance, and habituation. Better understanding of information processing biases is critical to improve on prevention and intervention efforts for anxiety.

描述（由申请人提供）：信息处理偏差（例如注意力、解释和记忆的扭曲）在儿童期焦虑症的发作和维持中的作用尚未得到充分研究。 鉴于大量儿童患有焦虑症，并且成年人群的证据表明偏见可能在病理性焦虑的持续存在中发挥重要作用，这一点令人担忧。 研究表明，焦虑的青少年表现出与成年人相似的信息处理偏见模式（对威胁相关信息的偏见）；然而，这些偏见的性质及其形成的年龄尚不清楚。 本研究将调查害怕蜘蛛和不害怕蜘蛛的儿童（9-10 岁；每个恐惧组 N=30）和年轻人（18-19 岁；每个恐惧组 N=30）在注意力、解释和记忆方面的偏差。评估焦虑和恐惧认知理论的预测。 将检查信息处理偏差和既定的焦虑风险因素（行为抑制）之间的相互作用，以确定它们预测主观痛苦、回避和习惯的能力。 更好地理解信息处理偏差对于改善焦虑的预防和干预工作至关重要。