PTSD青少年执行功能缺陷的情绪特异性

已有研究表明PTSD青少年存在执行功能缺陷,但尚不清楚这种缺陷是否具有情绪特异性。以2008年汶川地震重灾区汉旺中学PTSD、非PTSD以及非灾区青少年各28名为被试,探讨震后PTSD青少年执行功能缺陷是否具有情绪特异性。实验1采用经典Stroop范式,结果发现3组被试的Stroop效应量无显著差异;实验2采用情绪Stroop范式,结果发现PTSD组对地震信息的Stroop效应量显著大于非PTSD组和控制组。整个研究表明,震后PTSD青少年的执行功能缺陷具有情绪特异性。     

社交焦虑个体对于不同威胁信息的注意偏向

目的:研究社交焦虑个体对不同类型词语的注意偏向。方法:被试41名,采用情绪Stroop范式,研究词与非词不同比例条件下高低社交焦虑个体对不同类型词(被关注词、被评价词、躯体威胁性词、中性词和非词)的注意偏向。结果:在词和非词比例高的条件下,高社交焦虑组在负性评价词和受他人关注词上的Stroop效应显著大于低社交焦虑组。结论:高社交焦虑个体对负性评价和他人关注的词语存在注意偏向。     

高低创伤个体的Stroop干扰效应及性别差异研究

探讨高低创伤个体的认知干扰效应及性别差异。采用创伤事件终身经历问卷—学生版、PTSD检查表平时版来选取高低创伤被试,通过经典Stroop范式要求被试进行色—词辨别反应任务。结果显示：高低创伤被试间存在显著的差异,高创伤被试的反应时显著长于低创伤被试的反应时;高低创伤两组被试在任务类型上均存在显著差异,一致任务的反应时显著低于不一致任务的反应时;高创伤组被试在性别上存在显著差异,男性的反应时显著低于女性的反应时;创伤水平、性别与任务类型在Stroop效应干扰上存在交互作用。研究表明高创伤女性被试更容易受到认知干扰,Stroop任务的类型也对创伤被试产生一定作用。     

高低创伤经历个体的Stroop干扰效应及性别差异研究

探讨高低创伤个体的认知干扰效应及性别差异。采用创伤事件终身经历问卷—学生版、PTSD检查表平时版来选取高低创伤被试,通过经典Stroop范式要求被试进行色—词辨别反应任务。结果显示:高低创伤被试间存在显著的差异,高创伤被试的反应时显著长于低创伤被试的反应时;高低创伤两组被试在任务类型上均存在显著差异,一致任务的反应时显著低于不一致任务的反应时;高创伤组被试在性别上存在显著差异,男性的反应时显著低于女性的反应时;创伤水平、性别与任务类型在Stroop效应干扰上存在交互作用。研究表明高创伤女性被试更容易受到认知干扰,Stroop任务的类型也对创伤被试产生一定作用。     

不同科学创造力个体干扰抑制机制的比较*

选取《科学创造力量表》筛选出高、低科学创造力个体各20名,通过完成经典Stroop色字干扰抑制任务,探讨高、低科学创造力的个体抑制机制的差异。结果发现:在Stroop色字任务上,无论是高科学创造力组还是低科学创造力组,都出现了Stroop干扰效应,但低科学创造力组的Stroop效应更明显;高科学创造力组在字色不一致条件下的错误率显著低于低科学创造力组,但是两组被试在Stroop任务反应时上差异不显著。本研究结果提示高科学创造力个体的认知抑制能力强于低科学创造力个体。     

公安民警的创伤后应激症状对执行功能的影响—基于Stroop范式的探究

公安民警常常身临应激和危险情境中，是创伤事件的易感人群，但其创伤后应激症状对执行功能的影响研究尚且缺乏。已有研究发现，具有创伤后应激症状的个体的执行功能存在缺陷，表现在对冲突信息的抑制能力受损以及对创伤相关信息的注意偏向和情绪唤起。本研究以公安民警为实验组被试，据其创伤后应激症状分为高低两组，在校大学生为对照组被试，采用Stroop范式探究创伤后应激症状对公安民警“冷”、“热”执行功能的影响。结果表明，具有创伤后应激症状的公安民警在“冷”、“热”执行功能上不存在缺陷，但仍在一定程度上受到创伤后应激症状的影响。启示对具有创伤后应激症状的公安民警进行干预时，应关注其症状的严重程度，在“热”执行功能上寻求更有效的干预方式。     

高特质焦虑高中生对消极信息的注意和记忆偏向

研究比较高、低特质焦虑高中生对消极信息的注意和记忆模式。实验一采用情绪Stroop范式,让被试命名不同效价(积极、消极)的颜色词;实验二命被试回忆实验一情绪Stroop任务中出现过的词汇。结果表明,与低特质焦虑高中生相比,高特质焦虑高中生受词汇意义的干扰,在情绪Stroop任务中对颜色词命名速度减缓;在情绪Stroop任务后对消极词的回忆量显著多于对积极词的回忆量。研究推论,高特质焦虑高中生对环境中的消极信息存在记忆偏向,对环境中的任何情绪信息(积极或消极)均存在注意偏向。     

不同线索下特质焦虑个体的返回抑制

焦虑与注意偏向的研究是近年来情绪与认知领域的热点。为探讨特质焦虑个体的注意偏向特点及其返回抑制能力是否受不同线索的调节, 采用特质焦虑量表筛选高特质焦虑大学生29名, 低特质焦虑大学生28名完成线索-靶子任务。要求被试在提示线索消失后, 对位置进行快而准地辨别反应, 分别探索中性和情绪性提示线索下被试的返回抑制。结果发现：(1)在中性线索条件下, 高焦虑个体平均反应时慢于低焦虑个体。(2) 在情绪线索条件下, 高焦虑个体在负性线索下的反应时小于在正性线索下的反应时; 高、低焦虑个体在各种SOA条件下均出现了返回抑制, 但各组返回抑制量受到情绪线索的调节：在正性情绪线索条件下, 两组返回抑制量没有显著差异; 在负性情绪线索下, 高焦虑个体返回抑制量显著小于低焦虑个体。这表明, (1)焦虑个体的注意偏向受到刺激信息的影响：只对负性情绪线索出现注意警觉; (2)只有在涉及负性情绪信息时高、低焦虑个体返回抑制能力才有差异, 高焦虑个体存在对负性情绪线索的抑制困难。     

社交焦虑大学生情绪调节灵活性：情绪内容对策略选择和使用的影响

尽管社交焦虑个体被认为存在情绪调节灵活性的不足,但至今尚不清楚这种不足究竟在于难以灵活选择策略,还是难以灵活使用策略,抑或二者兼有？对此,本研究采用情绪调节策略选择任务考察了37名高社交焦虑大学生和29名低社交焦虑大学生在面对社交-非社交情绪图片时对认知重评-回避策略的选择模式和使用效果。结果发现：在面对社交情绪图片时,高社交焦虑被试比低社交焦虑被试更少选择认知重评,而更多选择回避;在面对非社交情绪图片时,两组被试对两种策略的选择模式无显著差异。同时,无论面对社交还是非社交情绪图片,两组被试对两种策略的使用效果也无显著差异。以上结果表明,相比低社交焦虑个体,高社交焦虑个体只有在面对社交情绪刺激时才存在情绪调节灵活性的不足,且这种不足主要在于难以灵活选择策略,而非难以灵活使用策略。     

马基雅弗利主义者的“冷”、“热”执行功能分离现象

目的探讨马基雅弗利主义者是否存在＂冷＂、＂热＂执行功能分离现象。方法选取178位高中学生,用马氏量表筛选出45人,分为马氏高分组（n=20）和马氏低分组（n=25）,分别对两组的＂冷＂、＂热＂执行功能进行测量。结果在＂冷＂执行功能方面,马氏高分组（62.3±3.0）和马氏低分组（44.2±2.4）没有显著差异;在＂热＂执行功能方面,两组被试有显著差异。结论马氏主义者存在＂冷热＂执行功能分离现象。     

Attentional bias and anxiety in individuals with coronary heart disease

This study examined whether in an emotional Stroop task, individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) would show greater attention towards the threatening words related to their disease than healthy persons, and if such an attentional bias is associated with anxiety. An emotional Stroop task with threatening words related to CHD as well as positive, negative and neutral words was administered to 35 individuals with CHD and 35 healthy controls. Additionally, the original Stroop task, the Beck anxiety inventory and the state-trait anxiety inventory were administered. The results indicated an attentional bias towards threatening words related to CHD in the individuals with CHD. They experienced higher interference than healthy participants from threatening words related to CHD but not from positive or negative words. Moreover, the level of interference was associated with their level of anxiety, and a vicious circle may exist in this association. In addition, results indicated a possible deficit of executive functioning among individuals with CHD. Attentional bias, as well as its association with anxiety, and an indication of deficit in executive functioning among individuals with CHD might be the risk factors for these individuals’ quality of life and for further development of their disease.     

The lateralized emotional stroop task: left visual field interference in women

In a visual hemifield emotional Stroop task, 54 women were asked to name the color of laterally flashed emotional and neutral words while ignoring their semantic content. Vocal reaction times for color naming were recorded. The participants exhibited significant emotional interference effects in the left visual field, which tended to be larger for negative words than for positive words. Participants with higher trait anxiety scores exhibited larger interference for positive words in the left relative to the right visual field. The outcome indicates that, in women, emotional Stroop interference arises in the right rather than in the left hemisphere, with a larger impact of negative than of positive words, and with trait anxiety modulating the lateralized interference for positive words.     

Emotional Stroop task: effect of word arousal and subject anxiety on emotional interference

Inconsistent findings regarding the emotional Stroop effect in healthy subjects may be explained by confounding effects of stimulus valence and arousal, as well as individual differences in anxiety. We examined reaction time data in a healthy sample using the emotional Stroop task while carefully matching arousal level of positive and negative words. Independent of valence, emotional relative to neutral words elicited emotional interference, indicating that arousal determines emotional interference. Independent of valence, emotional words were better re-called and recognized than neutral words. Individual differences in state anxiety were associated with emotional interference, that is, emotional interference was enhanced in subjects with high state anxiety. There was no influence of trait anxiety. These findings indicate that word arousal produces emotional interference independent of valence. State anxiety exacerbates interference of emotional words by further biasing attention towards emotionally salient stimuli. Thomas Dresler and Katja Mériau have contributed equally.     

Inhibitory control and affective valence processing in dementia of the alzheimer type

Emotional and traditional Stroop effects were contrasted in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age‐equated, non‐demented individuals to examine (a) differences in the speed of processing emotional versus neutral words; and (b) the extent to which the emotional valence influences interference effects. Individuals with moderate AD experienced larger traditional Stroop interference effects than did healthy elderly or individuals with mild AD. Emotional Stroop effects were evident among individuals with moderate AD and significantly greater than elderly and individuals with mild AD who exhibited minimal effects. For negative words, significant differences were only observed between individuals with moderate AD and healthy elderly. Emotional Stroop effects among individuals with AD were not statistically different for positive and negative words. The impact of stimulus intensity level and AD‐associated changes to the prefrontal cortex and amygdala on emotional Stroop effects requires further investigation.     

Does anxiety lead to selective processing of threat-related information?

Four experiments investigating the detailed nature of the attentional bias in anxiety are reported. Previous research using the Stroop task has shown that, when compared with non-patient controls, anxious patients are relatively slower at colour naming threat-related words than non-threat words. Experiments One and Two investigated whether this apparent attentional bias is a function of anxiety per se and/or is related to patient/non-patient status. Experiment One compared colour-naming times for threat and non-threat words in low, medium and high trait anxiety normal subjects. High anxiety was not associated with slower colour-naming times for threat words. Experiment Two compared generalized anxiety disorder patients with equally anxious non-patients and found that the patients were significantly slower at colour-naming threat words. Read aloud and dwell tasks were also included in these experiments in order to identify the mechanism of Stroop interference. Experiments Three and Four investigated whether anxious patients' attentional bias is specific to threat-related material or also extends to certain positive, emotional material. In Experiment Three words used in previous Stroop studies were rated for emotionality. Threat words were more emotional, as well as more threatening, than control words, indicating that previous studies have confounded threat and emotionality. Experiment Four compared colour-naming times for threat words, equally emotional positive words, and neutral words. Consistent with the emotionality hypothesis, generalized anxiety disorder patients were slower than non-anxious controls at colour naming both threat words and positive words. The theoretical, methodological and clinical implications of these results are discussed.     

Cognitive processing of personally relevant information

Abstract

Subjects performed an idiographic, computerised version of the modified Stroop colour-naming task after having undergone a film-induced mood manipulation designed to produce either anxiety, elation, or a neutral mood. The Stroop stimuli were words related either to the subject's positive current concerns (e.g. goals, interests), to the subject's negative current concerns (e.g. personal worries), or to neither. The results indicated that words strongly related to subject's positive as well as to negative current concerns produced significantly more Stroop interference than did words unrelated or weakly related to their current concerns. Although the films strongly influenced the subjects' moods in predicted directions initially, mood changes were largely not maintained throughout the experiment. Thus, it is not surprising that no significant interactions with word type were found. These results indicate that the “emotional Stroop effect” occurs in normal subjects as well as in anxious patients, and occurs with positive as well as with negative material of strong personal relevance.     

Cool and Hot Aspects of Executive Function in Childhood Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Aspects of executive functioning (EF) have been put forward as endophenotypes in obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) and meta-analyses support EF underperformance in adult samples. Childhood-onset OCD has been suggested to constitute a separate neurodevelopmental subtype of the disorder but studies on neuropsychological functioning in childhood OCD are limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate performance-based EF in pediatric OCD using observed and latent variable analyses. A case-control design was applied including 50 unmedicated children and adolescents with OCD aged 7–17 years of which 70% were female, 50 pairwise age and gender matched non-psychiatric controls (NP) and 38 children and adolescents with mixed anxiety disorders (MA). Participants underwent structured diagnostic interviews and assessment with a battery encompassing cool EF tasks of working memory, set shifting, inhibition, and planning, and hot EF tasks of decision making and dot probe paradigm affective interference. First, groups were compared on observed variables with multilevel mixed-effects linear regression and analysis of variance. Then the latent structure of cool EF was tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and groups were compared on the CFA scores. No significant differences between groups appeared on individual cool EF tasks. On the hot EF tasks the OCD group displayed significant interference effects on the dot probe paradigm OCD-specific stimuli relative to NP, but not compared to MA and no group differences emerged for decision making. In the CFA a one-factor solution showed best fit, but the groups did not differ significantly on the resulting latent variable. The present study does not support cool or hot EF impairments in childhood OCD.