Influences of age and anxiety on processing of emotional information in children

TY - ABST

T1 - Influences of age and anxiety on processing of emotional information in children

AU - Reinholdt-Dunne, Marie Louise

AU - Mogg, Karin

AU - Esbjørn, Barbara Hoff

AU - Bradley, Brendan P.

N1 - Conference code: 39

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disturbances in childhood (Costello 2003). Theorists suggest that information-processing biases for emotional information play an important role in the development of anxiety disorders (Kendall & Ronan, 1990), and that development/age affects information-processing biases due to its significant relationship with executive functioning levels and cognitive maturation (Lonigan et al., 2004). The present study aimed to further investigate the relationships between information-processing biases and childhood development. Information-processing bias was assessed using an emotional Stroop paradigm with angry, happy and neutral faces. Trait anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C; Spielberger et al., 1983). There were four groups of schoolchildren (N = 67, aged 7 - 14) divided by median splits on trait anxiety (below vs above 31 on STAI-C) and age (below vs above 10.75 years). Results revealed a significant Age x Trait anxiety x Type of emotional face interaction effect on interference scores, indicating an interference effect of angry faces (relative to neutral faces) in younger children with moderate levels of trait anxiety (i.e. 7-10 year-olds with STAI-C > 31). This interference effect was not evident in low trait anxious children, or in older children, irrespective of anxiety levels. There was no interference effect of happy faces. Findings suggest that cognitive maturation (i.e. age) may help moderately anxious children regulate interference for threat-related stimuli. Results are discussed in relation to current cognitive and developmental models of anxiety.

AB - Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disturbances in childhood (Costello 2003). Theorists suggest that information-processing biases for emotional information play an important role in the development of anxiety disorders (Kendall & Ronan, 1990), and that development/age affects information-processing biases due to its significant relationship with executive functioning levels and cognitive maturation (Lonigan et al., 2004). The present study aimed to further investigate the relationships between information-processing biases and childhood development. Information-processing bias was assessed using an emotional Stroop paradigm with angry, happy and neutral faces. Trait anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-C; Spielberger et al., 1983). There were four groups of schoolchildren (N = 67, aged 7 - 14) divided by median splits on trait anxiety (below vs above 31 on STAI-C) and age (below vs above 10.75 years). Results revealed a significant Age x Trait anxiety x Type of emotional face interaction effect on interference scores, indicating an interference effect of angry faces (relative to neutral faces) in younger children with moderate levels of trait anxiety (i.e. 7-10 year-olds with STAI-C > 31). This interference effect was not evident in low trait anxious children, or in older children, irrespective of anxiety levels. There was no interference effect of happy faces. Findings suggest that cognitive maturation (i.e. age) may help moderately anxious children regulate interference for threat-related stimuli. Results are discussed in relation to current cognitive and developmental models of anxiety.

M3 - Conference abstract for conference

T2 - European Association of Behavioural and Cognitive therapy (EABCT)

Y2 - 16 September 2009 through 19 September 2009

ER -