Implementation of the diffusion model on dot-probe task performance in children with behavioral inhibition

Trial-level ERPs predicted behavioral responses during self-referential processing in late childhood

Self-referential information is uniquely salient and preferentially processed even in children. The literature has used the self-referent encoding task (SRET) combined with event-related potentials (ERPs) to study self-referential processing and its associations with youth psychopathology. However, it is unclear how the ERP and behavioral indices of SRET are associated with each other, although this knowledge can promote our mechanistic understanding of this construct and its role in psychopathology. We examined this question in 115 9- to 12-year-old children, a critical period for the development of self-related concepts. By applying a multilevel modeling approach to the trial-level data of SRET, we disaggregated the between- and within-person variability and observed within-person, but not between-person, effects of the P2 and late positive potential (LPP) on behavioral responses: a larger P2 on a given trial predicted a faster response in this trial; a larger LPP on a given trial predicted a higher likelihood of endorsing the word of this trial. We provided novel evidence on how the within-person variability of the ERPs predicted the overt responses of the SRET in children. These findings inform our mechanistic knowledge of self-referential processing and shed light on a better understanding of the role of self-referential processing in the development of psychopathology.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A Preliminary Examination of the (Event-Related) Potential for Modifying Threat-Related Attentional Bias in Anxiety

Objectives

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) can reduce anxiety and depression symptoms in adults with anxiety disorders, and changes in threat-related attentional bias may be a key mechanism driving the intervention's effects on anxiety symptoms. Event-related potentials (ERPs) can illuminate the physiological mechanism through which MBCT targets threat bias and reduces symptoms of anxiety. This preliminary study examined whether P1 ERP threat-related attentional bias markers in anxious adults change from pre- to post-MBCT delivered in-person or virtually (via Zoom) and investigated the relationship between P1 threat-related attentional bias markers and treatment response.

Methods

Pre- and post-MBCT, participants with moderate to high levels of anxiety (N = 50) completed a dot-probe task with simultaneous EEG recording. Analyses focused on pre- and post-MBCT P1 amplitudes elicited by angry-neutral and happy-neutral face pair cues, probes, and reaction times in the dot-probe task and anxiety and depression symptoms.

Results

Pre- to post-MBCT, there was a significant reduction in P1-Probe amplitudes (d = .23), anxiety (d = .41) and depression (d = .80) symptoms, and reaction times (d = .10). Larger P1-Angry Cue amplitudes, indexing hypervigilance to angry faces, were associated with higher levels of anxiety both pre- and post-MBCT (d = .20). Post-MBCT, anxiety symptoms were lower in the in-person versus virtual group (d = .80).

Conclusions

MBCT may increase processing efficiency and decreases anxiety and depression symptoms in anxious adults. However, changes in threat bias specifically were generally not supported. Replication with a comparison group is needed to clarify whether changes were MBCT-specific.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT03571386, June 18, 2018.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-022-01910-x.