Information Processing Biases in Specific Phobia

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。 考虑到大量儿童患有焦虑症，以及成年人的证据表明，偏见可能在病理性焦虑的持续性中发挥重要作用，这一点令人担忧。 研究表明，焦虑的年轻人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，这些偏见的性质和建立它们的年龄尚不清楚。 本研究将调查蜘蛛恐惧和不恐惧儿童（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见，以评估焦虑和恐惧的认知理论的预测。 信息处理偏差和焦虑的既定风险因素（行为抑制）之间的相互作用将被检查其预测主观痛苦，回避和习惯化的能力。 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。

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.