The neurophysiological relationship between number anxiety and the EEG gamma-band

ABSTRACT

The development of math anxiety is thought to originate at a young age, as a form of number anxiety, but has not been investigated extensively. Research has shown greater levels of EEG gamma-band activity are experienced during threat perception and attentional bias. This has been identified in high math anxious individuals when confronted with math-based tasks, but has not yet been explored for number anxiety specifically. Single-digit numbers and letters were presented to 15 high and 15 low math anxious participants, who were required to observe the stimuli. High math anxious participants displayed significantly greater levels of gamma activity during number observation compared to letter observation. Findings suggest high math anxious individuals may have a threat-related response to observation of simple numerical stimuli. Further behavioural investigations are needed, but high math anxious individuals may display avoidance towards number and math due to a threat response associated with increased gamma activity.     

Feasibility of a Web‐based Gatekeeper Training: Implications for Suicide Prevention

Web‐based training programs have advantages such as increased scheduling flexibility and decreased training costs. Yet the feasibility of applying them to injury prevention programs such as suicide prevention gatekeeper training has not been empirically verified. Two studies were conducted to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a web‐based version of the Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) gatekeeper training program. Results of Study 1 revealed that participants in a web‐based training demonstrated significant gains in knowledge of suicide prevention, self‐efficacy for suicide prevention, and behavioral intentions to engage in suicide prevention, as compared to those in a control group. Results of Study 2 further showed that the web‐based training may be as effective as the face‐to‐face QPR training across pre‐ (T1) and post training (T2); however, knowledge, self‐efficacy, and behavioral intentions in both groups generally declined from T2 to 6‐months after the training. Overall, these results provide initial evidence to support the feasibility of adopting web‐based media to deliver gatekeeper training. Moreover, the present findings suggest the need to understand how to maintain gatekeepers’ knowledge, confidence, motivation, and skills after training.     

Assessing inattention and impulsivity in children during the Go/NoGo task

Behavioural performance in the Go/NoGo task was compared with caregiver and teacher reports of inattention and hyperactivity‐impulsivity in 1,151 children (N=557 boys; N=594 girls) age 9–10 years old. Errors of commission (NoGo errors) were significantly correlated with symptom counts of hyperactivity‐impulsivity, while errors of omission (Go errors) were significantly correlated with symptom counts for inattention in both caregiver and teacher reports. Cross‐correlations were also evident, however, such that errors of commission were related to inattention symptoms, and errors of omission were related to hyperactivity‐impulsivity. Moreover, hyperactivity‐impulsivity and inattention symptoms were highly intercorrelated in both caregiver (r=.52) and teacher reports (r=.70), while errors of commission and omission were virtually uncorrelated in the Go/NoGo task (r=.06). The results highlight the difficulty in disentangling hyperactivity‐impulsivity and inattention in questionnaires, and suggest that these constructs may be more clearly distinguished in laboratory measures such as the Go/NoGo task.