The role of attentional shifting in the relation between error monitoring and anxiety in youth. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ramos, Michelle L.; Bechor, Michele; Casas, Alejandro; Pettit, Jeremy W.; Silverman, Wendy K.; Reeb-Sutherland, Bethany C.
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 324(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: ERN -- Anxiety -- Attention -- EEG -- ERP -- Children -- Adolescents; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Brain -- Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Diagnostic Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; Cerveau -- Imagerie pour le diagnostic -- Périodiques; 616.890754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2022.111507
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4927

Abstract

Highlights: Attentional control moderates the relation between ERN amplitude and anxiety levels. Results suggest that shifting rather than focus abilities impact the ERN-anxiety relation. Decreased ERN amplitude and increased shifting predicts lower anxiety levels. Abstract: The error-related negativity (ERN), a well-established neural marker of anxiety, reflects enhanced attention to internal threat signals. While attention to threat plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of anxiety, it is unclear how attentional control influences the ERN-anxiety association. To address this, 37 youths ( M age = 10.89 years) completed self-report measures of attentional control and anxiety symptoms. To obtain ERN amplitude, youth completed a flanker task while simultaneous EEG was collected. Attentional control, specifically attentional shifting rather than focusing, moderated the relation between ERN amplitude and anxiety. Youth who displayed smaller neural responses to making an error and higher ability to shift attention experienced lower levels of anxiety, relative to those who exhibited larger neural responses to making an error or lower attention-shifting ability. These findings highlight that response magnitude to internal threat and ability to flexibly shift attention may jointly contribute to anxiety in youth.