Dibartolo P M, Brown T A, Barlow D H
Clark Science Center, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, USA.
Behav Res Ther. 1997 Dec;35(12):1101-11.
An information processing signal detection methodology was employed to examine attentional allocation and its correlates in both normal comparison (NC) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) participants. In particular, the impact of neutral distractor and negative feedback cues on performance of an attention vigilance task was investigated. Individuals with GAD (N = 15) evidenced impaired performance on an attention vigilance task relative to NC participants (N = 15) when neutral distractor cues were presented. Contrary to prediction, no group differences in performance were detected under conditions in which participants were presented negative feedback cues they were told were relevant to their performance. Instead, GAD participants exhibited improvement during the experimental task such that their performance was equivalent to NC participants. Across trials, the clinically anxious group endorsed significantly higher levels of worry and negative affectivity; however, they failed to respond with concomitant physical arousal (e.g. increased muscle tension). These data are discussed within the context of Eysenck and Calvo's (1992, Cognition and Emotion, 6, 409-434) processing efficiency theory. Additionally, the results of this investigation provide support for Barlow's (1988, Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic) conceptualization of anxiety as requiring the interaction of cognitive schema and physiological arousal.
采用一种信息处理信号检测方法，来检验正常对照组（NC）和广泛性焦虑症（GAD）参与者的注意力分配及其相关因素。具体而言，研究了中性干扰物和负面反馈线索对注意力警觉任务表现的影响。当呈现中性干扰线索时，GAD患者（N = 15）在注意力警觉任务上的表现相对于NC参与者（N = 15）有所受损。与预测相反，在向参与者呈现他们被告知与自身表现相关的负面反馈线索的条件下，未检测到两组在表现上的差异。相反，GAD参与者在实验任务过程中表现出改善，以至于他们的表现与NC参与者相当。在所有试验中，临床焦虑组认可的担忧和消极情感水平显著更高；然而，他们并未伴随身体唤醒做出反应（例如肌肉紧张加剧）。在艾森克和卡尔沃（1992年，《认知与情感》，第6卷，第409 - 434页）的加工效率理论背景下对这些数据进行了讨论。此外，本研究结果为巴洛（1988年，《焦虑及其障碍：焦虑和惊恐的本质与治疗》）将焦虑概念化为需要认知图式和生理唤醒相互作用的观点提供了支持。
