Abstract
The cognitive avoidance model of worry assumes that worry has the adaptive function to keep under control the physiological arousal associated with anxiety. This study aimed to test this model by the use of a fear induction paradigm in both pathological and healthy individuals. Thirty-one pathological worriers and 36 healthy controls accepted to be exposed to a fear induction paradigm (white noise) during three experimental conditions: worry, distraction, and reappraisal. Skin conductance (SCR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured as indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system functioning. Worriers showed increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activation during the worry condition compared to non-worriers. There were no differences between groups for the distraction and reappraisal conditions. SCRs to the white noises during worry were higher in worriers versus controls throughout the entire worry period. Intolerance of uncertainty - but not metacognitive beliefs about worry - was a significant moderator of the relationship between worry and LF/HF-HRV in pathological worriers. Results support the cognitive avoidance model in healthy controls, suggesting that worry is no longer a functional attitude when it becomes the default/automatic and pathological response.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 349-355 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | International Journal of Psychophysiology |
| Volume | 93 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
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Keywords
- Cognitive avoidance model
- Heart rate variability
- Skin conductance response
- White noise
- Worry
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
- Physiology (medical)
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Worry as an adaptive avoidance strategy in healthy controls but not in pathological worriers. / Ottaviani, Cristina; Borlimi, Rosita; Brighetti, Gianni; Caselli, Gabriele; Favaretto, Ettore; Giardini, Irene; Marzocchi, Camilla; Nucifora, Valeria; Rebecchi, Daniela; Ruggiero, Giovanni M.; Sassaroli, Sandra.
In: International Journal of Psychophysiology, Vol. 93, No. 3, 2014, p. 349-355.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Worry as an adaptive avoidance strategy in healthy controls but not in pathological worriers
AU - Ottaviani, Cristina
AU - Borlimi, Rosita
AU - Brighetti, Gianni
AU - Caselli, Gabriele
AU - Favaretto, Ettore
AU - Giardini, Irene
AU - Marzocchi, Camilla
AU - Nucifora, Valeria
AU - Rebecchi, Daniela
AU - Ruggiero, Giovanni M.
AU - Sassaroli, Sandra
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The cognitive avoidance model of worry assumes that worry has the adaptive function to keep under control the physiological arousal associated with anxiety. This study aimed to test this model by the use of a fear induction paradigm in both pathological and healthy individuals. Thirty-one pathological worriers and 36 healthy controls accepted to be exposed to a fear induction paradigm (white noise) during three experimental conditions: worry, distraction, and reappraisal. Skin conductance (SCR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured as indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system functioning. Worriers showed increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activation during the worry condition compared to non-worriers. There were no differences between groups for the distraction and reappraisal conditions. SCRs to the white noises during worry were higher in worriers versus controls throughout the entire worry period. Intolerance of uncertainty - but not metacognitive beliefs about worry - was a significant moderator of the relationship between worry and LF/HF-HRV in pathological worriers. Results support the cognitive avoidance model in healthy controls, suggesting that worry is no longer a functional attitude when it becomes the default/automatic and pathological response.
AB - The cognitive avoidance model of worry assumes that worry has the adaptive function to keep under control the physiological arousal associated with anxiety. This study aimed to test this model by the use of a fear induction paradigm in both pathological and healthy individuals. Thirty-one pathological worriers and 36 healthy controls accepted to be exposed to a fear induction paradigm (white noise) during three experimental conditions: worry, distraction, and reappraisal. Skin conductance (SCR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured as indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system functioning. Worriers showed increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activation during the worry condition compared to non-worriers. There were no differences between groups for the distraction and reappraisal conditions. SCRs to the white noises during worry were higher in worriers versus controls throughout the entire worry period. Intolerance of uncertainty - but not metacognitive beliefs about worry - was a significant moderator of the relationship between worry and LF/HF-HRV in pathological worriers. Results support the cognitive avoidance model in healthy controls, suggesting that worry is no longer a functional attitude when it becomes the default/automatic and pathological response.
KW - Cognitive avoidance model
KW - Heart rate variability
KW - Skin conductance response
KW - White noise
KW - Worry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84905494334&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84905494334&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.05.010
DO - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.05.010
M3 - Article
C2 - 24873888
AN - SCOPUS:84905494334
VL - 93
SP - 349
EP - 355
JO - International Journal of Psychophysiology
JF - International Journal of Psychophysiology
SN - 0167-8760
IS - 3
ER -