Psychometric properties of reaction time based experimental paradigms measuring anxiety-related information-processing biases in children

H.M Brown,T.C Eley,S Broeren,C Macleod,M Rinck,J.A Hadwin,K.J Lester

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.11.004

Abstract

Theoretical frameworks highlight the importance of threat-related information-processing biases for understanding the emergence of anxiety in childhood. The psychometric properties of several tasks measuring these biases and their associations with anxiety were examined in an unselected sample of 9-year-old children (N=155). In each task, threat bias was assessed using bias scores reflecting task performance on threat versus non-threat conditions. Reliability was assessed using split–half and test–retest correlations of mean reaction times (RTs), accuracy and bias indices. Convergence between measures was also examined. Mean RTs showed substantial split–half and test–retest correlations. Bias score reliability coefficients were near zero and non-significant, suggesting poor reliability in children of this age. Additionally, associations between bias scores and anxiety were weak and inconsistent and performance between tasks showed little convergence. Bias scores from RT based paradigms in the current study lacked adequate psychometric properties for measuring individual differences in anxiety-related information-processing in children.

Highlights

Cognitive models propose that anxiety is associated with a number of biases in information processing, including attentional biases for threatening information, the propensity to interpret ambiguous information as threatening and the tendency to avoid anxiety-provoking situations
In line with theoretical frameworks in anxiety, we explored whether mean condition reaction times (RTs) and bias scores on information-processing tasks demonstrated stability within each testing session and over time using split–half and test–retest reliability estimates, respectively
The proportion of children with clinically elevated anxiety was identified using the normative cut-off values for the top 25% and 10% of total anxiety scores recommended for the RCADS-25; scores of over 16 and 26, respectively (Muris et al, 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Cognitive models propose that anxiety is associated with a number of biases in information processing, including attentional biases for threatening information, the propensity to interpret ambiguous information as threatening and the tendency to avoid anxiety-provoking situations. The selective processing of threat and the related tendency to interpret ambiguity as threatening are argued to increase the likelihood of perceiving danger in the environment, where this process serves to cause or maintain anxiety (Muris & Field, 2008) These information processing biases are suggested to lead to avoidant behaviour, which precludes opportunities to disconfirm threatening beliefs, maintaining anxiety (Beck & Clark, 1997; Heuer, Rinck, & Becker, 2007). Most studies to date have measured information processing biases in anxiety using behavioural indicators that typically compare differences in reaction times (RTs) for emotional versus neutral stimuli to create bias scores (e.g., threat versus neutral words or pictures; Hadwin & Field, 2010). Brown et al / Journal of Anxiety Disorders 28 (2014) 97–107

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