Attentional bias in subjects with differing levels of anxiety sensitivity

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the information-processing basis for Anxiety Sensitivity, (the tendency to interpret anxiety symptoms fearfully). University students were divided into High Anxiety Sensitivity (HAS), Medium Anxiety Sensitivity (MAS) and Low Anxiety Sensitivity (LAS) groups, using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (Reiss et al, 1986). Subjects who reported having experienced a panic attack were excluded using the Panic Attack Questionnaire, (Norton et al, 1988). Subjects completed an emotional Stroop task involving 4 word types (body sensation, catastrophe, fear and neutral). The hypotheses were : 1) HAS subjects would exhibit a greater attentional bias for anxiety-related information than LAS subjects, and, 2) that HAS subjects would show greater attentional bias to words related to their principal fears than they would to general threat (fear) words or neutral words. The results did not support the hypotheses, thus supporting the distinction between Anxiety sensitivity and trait anxiety. The results are discussed in terms of previous research, and suggestions made to account for results obtained in terms of the emotionality hypothesis. Suggestions are made for future research.