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How trait anxiety, interpretation bias and memory affect acquired fear in children learning about new animals

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posted on 2023-06-15, 13:52 authored by Zoë C Field, Andy FieldAndy Field
Cognitive models of vulnerability to anxiety propose that information processing biases such as interpretation bias play a part in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety disorders. However, at present little is known about the role of memory in information processing accounts of child anxiety. The current study investigates the relationships between interpretation biases, memory and fear responses when learning about new stimuli. Children (aged 8-11 years) were presented with ambiguous information regarding a novel animal, and their fear, interpretation bias, and memory for the information was measured. The main findings were: (1) trait anxiety and interpretation bias significantly predicted acquired fear; (2) interpretation bias did not significantly mediate the relationship between trait anxiety and acquired fear; (3) interpretation bias appeared to be a more important predictor of acquired fear than trait anxiety per se; and (4) the relationship between interpretation bias and acquired fear was not mediated by the number of negative memories but was mediated by the number of positive and false-positive memories. The findings suggest that information processing models of child anxiety need to explain the role of positive memory in the formation of fear responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Emotion

ISSN

1528-3542

Publisher

American Psychological Association

Issue

3

Volume

13

Page range

409-423

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2013-03-15

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2021-02-20

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2021-02-20

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