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Liu Y, Jin C, Zhou X, Chen Y, Ma Y, Chen Z, Zhang T, Ren Y. The chain mediating effect of anxiety and inhibitory control between bullying victimization and internet addiction in adolescents. Sci Rep 2024; 14:23350. [PMID: 39375437 PMCID: PMC11458774 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74132-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Although some studies have revealed the association between bullying victimization and internet addiction in adolescents, the mediating and moderating factors between the two need to be further discussed. This study aimed to discuss the chain mediating role of anxiety and inhibitory control between bullying victimization and internet addiction among Chinese adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted in seven schools in five provinces of China by convenience sampling from February to March 2024. A total of 1673 participants (695 boys and 978 girls) with an average age of 15.86 ± 0.74 years were included in this study. Subjective data on bullying victimization, internet addiction, anxiety, inhibitory control were collected and analyzed, and a mediation model test was carried out. After controlling for age and gender, bullying victimization was found to be a significant predictor of internet addiction (β = 0.098, p < 0.001). However, when anxiety and inhibitory control were added, the predictive effect was no longer significant (β = 0.006, p > 0.05). Bullying victimization can predict internet addiction through anxiety and inhibitory control. It is suggested that guardians should provide adequate support to adolescent bullying victims in order to reduce the negative impact of bullying victimization on adolescents and prevent the occurrence of internet addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- School of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou, China.
| | - Chunyan Jin
- School of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Xianwei Zhou
- School of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Yiyi Chen
- School of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Ma
- School of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Ziyi Chen
- School of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | | | - Yahui Ren
- Military and Political Foundation, Air Force Engineering University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
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2
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Rice M, Hansen M, Thomas ML, Davalos D. Neural correlates of prospective memory in college students with anxiety. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1430373. [PMID: 39380756 PMCID: PMC11458466 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1430373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to create and execute future tasks. It is comprised of two components: cue detection and intention retrieval. PM is essential for performing high-level goals, a proficiency extremely important in college populations. Anxiety is a prevalent psychological experience in college populations that may be associated with impairments in PM. The present study examined PM performance and anxiety in college students, using neurophysiology to measure the mechanism of impairment. Methods After self-reporting anxiety levels, 80 participants completed an event-based, focal PM task while two event-related potentials were recorded from an electroencephalogram: the N300 to assess cue detection, and the prospective positivity to assess intention retrieval. Results The results demonstrated that, when controlling for age and gender, higher state anxiety was significantly associated with lower PM accuracy (β = -0.27, p = 0.020) and lower prospective positivity amplitude (β = -0.04, p = 0.021). Lower prospective positivity amplitude was significantly associated with lower PM accuracy (β = 0.27, p = 0.015). Higher state anxiety was significantly indirectly associated with lower PM accuracy mediated by lower prospective positivity amplitude (ab = -0.11, p = 0.047). Discussion These findings suggest intention retrieval could be a key component in supporting PM for college students with high state anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Rice
- Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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3
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Wei H, Jin Z. EEG correlates of trait test anxiety in the flanker task for adolescents. Neurosci Lett 2024; 826:137725. [PMID: 38467269 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2024.137725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Adolescents face constant exams and often experience severe test anxiety. Previous studies suggested that test anxiety impairs individuals' inhibitory control. Neurophysiological evidence suggests that anxiety interferes with the recruitment of the prefrontal region of the brain, which modulates top-down attentional control during the completion of inhibitory control tasks. However, there is little neurophysiological evidence regarding how test anxiety impairs inhibitory control in adolescents. This study used the flanker task to measure individuals' inhibitory control ability, and both event-related potential and electroencephalography indicators were used to measure neurophysiological processes. The results showed that increased trait test anxiety was significantly negatively correlated with theta power oscillation, while adolescents performed both incongruent and congruent trials. This finding suggests that trait test anxiety adolescents are less able to exert greater effort to complete the inhibitory control task and show impoverished top-down attentional control resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Wei
- Department of Psychology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Zhenni Jin
- Department of Psychology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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4
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Hu C, Song J, Hong Y, Zhou R. Electrophysiological and behavioral evidence for the attention capture and suppression failure of irrelevant singleton in test anxiety. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:386-392. [PMID: 37015159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Attention bias (ABs) and inhibition deficits play crucial roles in the development, maintenance, and recurrence of test anxiety. However, whether test-anxious individuals will show ABs and inhibition deficits of general task-irrelevant stimuli in a complex visual display is unclear. Thus, we used the additional singleton task (AST) and recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) indices of attentional selection (the N2 posterior contralateral, N2pc), suppression (distractor positivity, PD), and maintenance of working memory (the sustained posterior contralateral negativity, SPCN) to explore this issue. Twenty-eight participants in the high test-anxious (HTA) group and twenty-eight participants in the low test-anxious (LTA) group attended the experiment and were required to search for a target and synchronously ignore a singleton distractor on some trials. Consequently, HTA and LTA individuals had poorer accuracies and longer response times in the distractor-present condition than in the distractor-absent condition. The HTA group got larger interferences from singleton distractors than the LTA group. Electrophysiological results revealed a distractor N2pc and SPCN in the HTA group. Moreover, target N2pc and SPCN in the HTA group were larger when the singleton distractor and target were on the same side than on the opposite side. These results indicated that HTA individuals were captured attention by singleton distractors and failed to expel them from working memory. Accordingly, the present findings extended previous work by providing direct evidence that test anxiety could increase the effects of stimulus-driven attention systems and impair the function of goal-directed attention systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cenlou Hu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; School of Education/The Key Laboratory for Juveniles Mental Health and Educational Neuroscience, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jintao Song
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Hong
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence Production Technology and Systems, Beijing, China.
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Zheng G, Zhang Q, Ran G. The association between academic stress and test anxiety in college students: The mediating role of regulatory emotional self-efficacy and the moderating role of parental expectations. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1008679. [PMID: 36824305 PMCID: PMC9941335 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1008679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Academic stress has been showed to be an important factor associated with test anxiety. However, the internal mechanism between them is still not clear. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the relationship between academic stress and test anxiety was affected by parental expectations and regulatory emotional self-efficacy. This study recruited 1,315 volunteers aged 17-25 to complete self-reports on academic stress, parental expectations, regulatory emotional self-efficacy and test anxiety. The results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between academic stress and test anxiety. Additionally, parental expectations were negatively correlated with academic stress but positively correlated with regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and regulatory emotional self-efficacy was negatively correlated with academic stress and test anxiety. The results showed that regulatory emotional self-efficacy played a mediating role in academic stress and test anxiety, and the relationship between academic stress and regulatory emotional self-efficacy was moderated by parental expectations, which indicated that parental expectations and regulatory emotional self-efficacy may play an important role in the relationship between academic stress and test anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo Zheng
- Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xian, China,School of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China,*Correspondence: Guo Zheng,
| | - Qiongzhi Zhang
- School of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Guangming Ran
- School of Education, China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
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6
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Hu C, Song X, Song J, Hong Y, Zhou R. Neurophysiological Correlates for Dynamic Variability Between Vigilance and Avoidance in Test Anxiety. Biol Psychol 2022; 175:108427. [PMID: 36170941 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Attention bias (ABs) to threat is essential in the etiology and maintenance of test anxiety. However, little is known about the attention pattern of ABs in test anxiety. The stimulus duration affects the attention pattern in anxiety. Thus, the present research combined the dot-probe paradigm and event-related potentials (ERPs) and varied the stimulus duration (100ms or 500ms) to test the ABs in test anxiety. Consequently, both groups showed a threat N2pc in 100ms and 500ms duration, suggesting that both groups allocated attention to the test-related threat. However, in the 100ms duration, the high test-anxious (HTA) group had smaller target-elicited P1 and greater target-elicited N2 in the threat-congruent condition than in the neutral condition. In the 500ms duration, an earlier threat N2pc and a threat PD followed a greater target P1, and smaller target N2 were pronounced in the HTA group. The current results provided electrophysiological evidence that the HTA group kept a dynamic attention pattern that fluctuated shift between vigilance and avoidance in the 100ms and 500ms duration. The HTA group was more vigilant than the LTA group in the 500ms duration when strategic attention was concerned, proposing that the vigilance in test anxiety was not an automatic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cenlou Hu
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueling Song
- National Education Examinations Authority, Beijing, China
| | - Jintao Song
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan Hong
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence Production Technology and Systems, Beijing, China.
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Hou L, Zhang W, Huang Q, Zhou R. Altered local gyrification index and corresponding resting-state functional connectivity in individuals with high test anxiety. Biol Psychol 2022; 174:108409. [PMID: 35988834 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported that test anxiety is closely related to unreasonable cognitive patterns and maladaptive emotional responses. However, its underlying brain structural and functional basis has not been thoroughly studied. This study aimed to evaluate the potential difference in local gyration index (LGI) and corresponding resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) in individuals with high test anxiety (HTA) compared with low test anxiety (LTA). Twenty-six individuals with HTA and 28 individuals with LTA underwent T1-weighted structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Using FreeSurfer software, we contrasted the LGI between the HTA and LTA groups using a surface-based general linear model to map group contrasts on a vertex-by-vertex basis. By selecting the cortical regions with significant differences in the LGI analysis as the regions of interest, the seed-based RSFC analysis was further carried out using the Resting-State fMRI Data Analysis Toolkit to examine the differences in the functional connectivity of these cortical regions with the whole brain between the two groups. The results showed that the LGI in several cortical regions of the executive control network (ECN) and the right lateral occipital gyrus was lower in the HTA group than in the LTA group. Furthermore, compared with the LTA group, the HTA group exhibited abnormal RSFC within the ECN, between the ECN and the visual network, and between the ECN and the sensorimotor network. Our findings might provide preliminary evidence for brain morphology and functional alterations in individuals with HTA and contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of TA. DATA STATEMENT: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request after completing a formal data sharing agreement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Hou
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China; Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Wenpei Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; School of Business, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, 243032, China
| | - Qiong Huang
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence Production Technology and Systems, Beijing, 100803, China.
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Wei H, Beuckelaer AD, Zhou R. EEG correlates of neutral working memory training induce attentional control improvements in test anxiety. Biol Psychol 2022; 174:108407. [PMID: 35952863 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Attentional control theory states that high test anxious (HTA) individuals suffer from impaired attentional control. However, through working memory training it may be possible to improve such individuals' attentional control ability. This study investigated whether 20 days of working memory training (with emotionally neutral stimuli) does result in improved HTA individuals' attentional control ability. Pre- and post-outcomes of attentional control were measured using Flanker and Go/Nogo experimental tasks in a test-related stress situation, and EEG data were also collected. Results only showed a significant decrease in Nogo alpha power in HTA individuals after neutral working memory training (i.e., post-outcome versus pre-outcome). However, we failed to provide evidence for beneficial transfer effects of neutral working memory training on enhanced task performance in both the Flanker and the Go/Nogo tasks. So, the present study demonstrates that neutral working memory training is clearly associated with important neurophysiological correlates while performing the Go/Nogo task, but the transfer effect is rather limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Wei
- Department of Psychology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China; Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Alain De Beuckelaer
- Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Work, Organisation and Society, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence Production Technology and Systems, Beijing, China.
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Fang Z, Lynn E, Huc M, Fogel S, Knott VJ, Jaworska N. Simultaneous EEG+fMRI study of brain activity during an emotional Stroop task in individuals in remission from depression. Cortex 2022; 155:237-250. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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10
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Huang Q, Hou L, Zhang W, Zhou R. The dysregulation of top-down control in individuals with high test anxiety: A resting state fMRI study. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 151:649-656. [PMID: 35661522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with high test anxiety (HTA) have deficits in attentional control and in stress responses when faced with tests. However, little is known about the underlying neural mechanism. Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in both attention and emotion networks, therefore this study examined the neural functional dysregulation in test anxiety from the perspective of functional connectivity (FC) using bilateral ACC as the regions of interest. METHODS Fifty-one participants were divided into HTA (n = 23) and low test anxiety (LTA, n = 28) group according to their Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) scores. Brain imaging data in resting, preparing, and recovering phases of a modified social evaluative threat task were collected, and emotional changes were assessed. RESULTS Compared with the LTA group, the HTA group exhibited significantly lower FCs between the ACC and superior frontal gyrus (SFG) in all 3 phases, significantly lower FCs between the ACC and inferior parietal gyrus (IPG), and significantly higher FCs between the ACC superior temporal gyrus (STG) in the preparing phase. Moreover, in the HTA group, the resting state IPG-ACC FC was associated with their TAS score, the preparing state STG-ACC FC was associated with the increased anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with HTA have general prefrontal control deficits. When facing a test, they tend to recruit more resources to deal with high emotional interference. The dysregulated control of the ACC by the frontal-parietal network may underlie the pathophysiology of test anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Huang
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Lulu Hou
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Department of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 220234, China
| | - Wenpei Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; School of Business, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, 243032, China
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Department of Brain and Learning Science, School of Biological Science & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China; Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China; Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence Production Technology and Systems, Beijing, 100803, China.
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Hu C, Oei TP, Hong Y, Zhou R. Processing the peripheral distractor in test anxiety: the effects of perceptual load and cognitive load. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03264-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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12
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Wei H, Oei TP, Zhou R. Test anxiety impairs inhibitory control processes in a performance evaluation threat situation: Evidence from ERP. Biol Psychol 2021; 168:108241. [PMID: 34921961 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Attentional Control Theory proposes that test anxiety impairs inhibitory control, and high test anxiety (HTA) individuals often allocate greater top-down attentional control resources to maintain comparable task performance compared to low test anxiety (LTA) individuals. This study examined how test anxiety impairs inhibitory control. Eighty participants were required to perform a hybrid Go/Nogo Flanker task in the performance evaluation threat or no performance evaluation threat conditions, while behavioral and EEG data were recorded. The ERP results showed that HTA participants revealed significantly larger Nogo but not incongruent related N2 amplitude than LTA participants in the threat condition. In the threat condition, HTA individuals were associated with increased recruitment of top-down attentional control resources to perform the response inhibition task but not the interference suppression task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Wei
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; Department of Psychology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Tian Po Oei
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Qld, Australia
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence Production Technology and Systems, Beijing, China.
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Cygan HB, Nowicka MM, Nowicka A. Impaired attentional bias toward one's own face in autism spectrum disorder: ERP evidence. Autism Res 2021; 15:241-253. [PMID: 34851047 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Converging lines of evidence seem to indicate reduced self-referential processing in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, processing of one's own face has rarely been investigated in the context of ASD. Thus, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the role of attentional biases in the processing of self- and other faces in ASD. To achieve this goal we presented participants with images of their own face, the face of a close-other, and famous and unknown faces in a Stroop-like paradigm. Participants (22 with ASD, 22 typically developing [TD]) were instructed to indicate the color of presented faces while EEG was recorded. Our event-related potential results clearly showed that self-face was associated with larger P3 amplitudes than all other faces in the TD group, thus indicating a strong attentional bias toward one's own face. In the ASD group, P3 to the self-face and the close-other's face did not differ, suggesting similar attentional biases in both cases. In line with these P3 findings, nonparametric cluster-based permutation tests showed an analogous pattern of results: significant clusters for the self-face compared with all other faces in the TD group, and no significant cluster in the ASD group. Overall, our findings revealed impaired attentional bias to one's own face and diminished self versus other differentiation in individuals with ASD. The similar neural underpinnings of the self-face and other faces supports previous findings indicating reduced self-prioritization among individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna B Cygan
- Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Bioimaging Research Center, World Hearing Center, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maria M Nowicka
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Nowicka
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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Song J, Chang L, Zhou R. Effect of test anxiety on visual working memory capacity using evidence from event-related potentials. Psychophysiology 2021; 59:e13965. [PMID: 34748639 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the effects of test anxiety on working memory capacity. Studies have demonstrated that individuals with trait social anxiety disorder exhibit increased visual working memory capacity and that those with trait anxiety exhibit decreased working memory capacity. Test anxiety may also induce unique effects on individuals' working memory capacity, and we thus employed the change detection task to explore such effects. Participants were divided into high- and low-test anxiety groups. We used K score and contralateral delay activity (CDA) amplitude to measure working memory capacity, focusing on processing effectiveness and efficiency. The study results revealed that deficits in the working memory capacity of individuals in the high test anxiety group manifested in the CDA amplitude rather than in the K score. The CDA amplitude of the high test anxiety group did not increase after load 3, and that of the low test anxiety group did not increase after load 4. No difference was observed in the K scores of the two groups. The study concluded that test anxiety impairs processing efficiency but not processing effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Song
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Chang
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Renlai Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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15
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Test anxiety impairs filtering ability in visual working memory: Evidence from event-related potentials. J Affect Disord 2021; 292:700-707. [PMID: 34157666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.05.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Attentional control theory regards individuals with high anxiety as having deficits of inhibitory control when faced with distractors, especially under high-load conditions and with threatening distractors. Research on test anxiety has a long history, but the working memory (WM) characteristics of individuals with high test anxiety (HTA) remain unclear. We used two experiments to test the WM filtering ability of individuals with HTA, and the salient results were those of the contralateral delay activity amplitude rather than K score. The first experiment employed neutral distractors. HTA participants filtered distractors under low-load conditions but not under high-load conditions. Participants with low test anxiety (LTA) filtered distractors under high-load conditions but not under low-load conditions. The second experiment utilized threatening distractors. The participants with HTA exhibited deficits in their ability to filter neutral and threatening distractors, whereas the participants with LTA filtered both types of distractor.
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König N, Steber S, Borowski A, Bliem HR, Rossi S. Neural Processing of Cognitive Control in an Emotionally Neutral Context in Anxiety Patients. Brain Sci 2021; 11:543. [PMID: 33925958 PMCID: PMC8146407 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Impaired cognitive control plays a crucial role in anxiety disorders and is associated with deficient neural mechanisms in the fronto-parietal network. Usually, these deficits were found in tasks with an emotional context. The present study aimed at investigating electrophysiological and vascular signatures from event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in anxiety patients versus healthy controls during an inhibition task integrated in an emotionally neutral context. Neural markers were acquired during the completion of a classical Eriksen flanker task. The focus of data analysis has been the ERPs N200 and P300 and fNIRS activations in addition to task performance. No behavioral or neural group differences were identified. ERP findings showed a larger N2pc and a delayed and reduced P300 for incongruent stimuli. The N2pc modulation suggests the reorienting of attention to salient stimuli, while the P300 indicates longer lasting stimulus evaluation processes due to increased task difficulty. FNIRS did not result in any significant activation potentially suggesting a contribution from deeper brain areas not measurable with fNIRS. The missing group difference in our non-emotional task indicates that no generalized cognitive control deficit but rather a more emotionally driven deficit is present in anxiety patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola König
- ICONE-Innsbruck Cognitive Neuroscience, Department for Hearing, Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52f, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sarah Steber
- ICONE-Innsbruck Cognitive Neuroscience, Department for Hearing, Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52f, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Borowski
- ICONE-Innsbruck Cognitive Neuroscience, Department for Hearing, Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52f, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Harald R. Bliem
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52f, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sonja Rossi
- ICONE-Innsbruck Cognitive Neuroscience, Department for Hearing, Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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Yang H, Li J, Zheng X. Different Influences of Negative and Neutral Emotional Interference on Working Memory in Trait Anxiety. Front Psychol 2021; 12:570552. [PMID: 33868069 PMCID: PMC8044409 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.570552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
To examine the interaction of working memory (WM) type with emotional interference in trait anxiety, event-related potentials were measured in a combined WM and emotional task. Participants completed a delayed matching-to-sample task of WM, and emotional pictures were presented during the maintenance interval. The results indicated that negative affect interfered with spatial WM; task-related changes in amplitude were observed in the late positive potential (LPP) and slow waves in both the high and low anxiety groups. We also found an interaction among WM type, emotion, and trait anxiety such that participants with high levels of trait anxiety showed an opposite neural response to verbal and spatial WM tasks compared with individuals with low trait anxiety during the sustained brain activity involved in processing negative or neutral pictures in the delay phase. Our results increase our understanding of the influence of emotions on recognition and the vulnerability of those with trait anxiety to emotional stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huifang Yang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education Sciences, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Development and Education for Special Needs Children, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Psychological Assessment and Rehabilitation for Exceptional Children, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Junqing Li
- Department of Physical Education Sciences, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xifu Zheng
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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18
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Zeng L, Wu H, Li J, Wang H, Xie S, Yang T, Peng Z, Zhang L, Shao Y, Lv J. Decreased P2 Waveform Reflects Impaired Brain Executive Function Induced by 12 h of Low Homeostatic Sleep Pressure: Evidence From an Event-Related Potential Study. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:599919. [PMID: 33841070 PMCID: PMC8024631 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.599919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic sleep pressure can cause cognitive impairment, in which executive function is the most affected. Previous studies have mainly focused on high homeostatic sleep pressure (long-term sleep deprivation); thus, there is still little related neuro-psycho-physiological evidence based on low homeostatic sleep pressure (12 h of continuous wakefulness) that affects executive function. This study aimed to investigate the impact of lower homeostatic sleep pressure on executive function. Our study included 14 healthy young male participants tested using the Go/NoGo task in normal resting wakefulness (10:00 am) and after low homeostatic sleep pressure (10:00 pm). Behavioral data (response time and accuracy) were collected, and electroencephalogram (EEG) data were recorded simultaneously, using repeated measures analysis of variance for data analysis. Compared with resting wakefulness, the participants' response time to the Go stimulus was shortened after low homeostatic sleep pressure, and the correct response rate was reduced. Furthermore, the peak amplitude of Go-P2 decreased significantly, and the peak latency did not change significantly. For NoGo stimulation, the peak amplitude of NoGo-P2 decreased significantly (p < 0.05), and the peak latency was significantly extended (p < 0.05). Thus, the P2 wave is likely related to the attention and visual processing and reflects the early judgment of the perceptual process. Therefore, the peak amplitude of Go-P2 and NoGo-P2 decreased, whereas the peak latency of NoGo-P2 increased, indicating that executive function is impaired after low homeostatic sleep pressure. This study has shown that the P2 wave is a sensitive indicator that reflects the effects of low homeostatic sleep pressure on executive function, and that it is also an important window to observe the effect of homeostatic sleep pressure and circadian rhythm on cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjing Zeng
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Haijing Wu
- Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jialu Li
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Haiteng Wang
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Songyue Xie
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyi Yang
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Ziyi Peng
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongcong Shao
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Lv
- The Second Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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