Attentional Bias Toward Threat in Adolescents With Different Anxiety Levels

• In Event: 34.080 - Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: 34.080-4 - Brain, Neurosciences, and Education SIG Poster Session

Abstract

Motivated by the increased anxiety problems in adolescents at schools, this study examined how attentional sub-processes contribute to anxiety by investigating neural mechanisms using Electroencephalography (EEG) technology. An attentional blink paradigm was used to investigate the individual difference of attentional sub-processes when exposed to threat-related stimuli. The preliminary results suggest that adolescents, at a neural level, process emotional threat stimuli differently from neutral emotional stimuli in terms of orienting and executive control of attention resources. Groups differences between adolescents with different anxiety levels were not found from the preliminary results. This study aims to contribute to current adolescents anxiety intervention and prevention studies. Implications for education are discussed.

Authors

• Siqi Chen, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Yajun Jia, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Steven Woltering, Texas A&M University - College Station