Impaired disengagement from worry: Dissociating the impacts of valence and internally-directed attention.

ABSTRACT: Worry is a repetitive, negative thought process that is widely experienced as difficult to control. Despite the adverse effects of uncontrollable worry on academic and other role functioning, the mechanisms by which worry becomes uncontrollable remain poorly understood. Previous experimental work has historically emphasized valence (negative versus positive or neutral). However, contemporary cognitive neuroscience also distinguishes between internally-directed attention (e.g., to thoughts) and externally-directed attention (e.g., to perceptual stimuli). To date, no studies have experimentally examined potential dissociable contributions of valence versus attentional direction to impaired disengagement from worry. In a 2 (negative or neutral valence) x 2 (internal or external attention) bet

SUBMITTER: Caulfield MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9892290 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature