Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


Giffi_Thesis_FINAL.pdf (582.87 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

A Test of the Impaired Attentional Disengagement Hypothesis in Social Anxiety

Giffi, Aryn
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1529397374604791

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Arts in Psychology, Cleveland State University, College of Sciences and Health Professions.
Biased information processing could be key to disease manifestation and maintenance in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Specifically, biases in visual attention in response to anxiety-relevant information (particularly problems disengaging attention) may be at the center of disorder-specific symptomology. Given existing research establishing dysfunctional attentional control in relation to ruminative processing in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), as well as the high comorbidities between MDD and SAD, similar disorder-specific attentional and regulatory mechanisms could help explain the etiology and maintenance of SAD symptomology. The current study examined potential differences in attention biases among individuals reporting low versus high social anxiety symptoms using an eye-tracking paradigm that isolates attentional disengagement patterns in response to social anxiety-relevant stimuli: disgust-neutral face pairs. Participants also experienced a social stressor (TRIER Stressor test) to assess how attentional biases and ruminative tendencies (via post-event processing: PEP) impact anxiety-relevant stress reactivity and recovery. Results showed that there were no differences in attentional disengagement to disgust faces between individuals with low versus high social anxiety symptoms. Social anxiety levels and nervousness scores were higher overall for the high group, and higher social anxiety levels predicted more PEP. There were also significant associations observed between SIAS and PEP scores, SIAS and emotional reactivity, and emotional reactivity and PEP. This study links SAD symptomology, affective reactivity to a social stressor, and a tendency to perseverate on that stressor once it was removed, which could be useful for further addressing efficacious cognitive-behavioral treatment of SAD.
Eric Allard, P.h.D. (Advisor)
Ilya Yarovslovsky, P.h.D. (Committee Member)
Conor McLennan, P.h.D. (Committee Member)
Kenneth Vail, P.h.D. (Committee Member)
38 p.
Behavioral Sciences; Cognitive Psychology; Experimental Psychology; Health Sciences; Mental Health; Psychology
social anxiety, visual attention, eye tracking, post event processing

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Giffi, A. (2018). A Test of the Impaired Attentional Disengagement Hypothesis in Social Anxiety [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1529397374604791

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Giffi, Aryn. A Test of the Impaired Attentional Disengagement Hypothesis in Social Anxiety. 2018. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1529397374604791.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Giffi, Aryn. "A Test of the Impaired Attentional Disengagement Hypothesis in Social Anxiety." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1529397374604791

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1529397374604791
489
© 2018, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.