Worry as an adaptive avoidance strategy in healthy controls but not in pathological worriers

• Published in: International journal of psychophysiology 2014-09, Vol.93 (3), p.349-355
• Main Authors: Ottaviani, Cristina, Borlimi, Rosita, Brighetti, Gianni, Caselli, Gabriele, Favaretto, Ettore, Giardini, Irene, Marzocchi, Camilla, Nucifora, Valeria, Rebecchi, Daniela, Ruggiero, Giovanni M., Sassaroli, Sandra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological - physiology; Adult; Anxiety - psychology; Anxiety Disorders - physiopathology; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Avoidance Learning - physiology; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Cognitive avoidance model; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Galvanic Skin Response - physiology; Heart Rate - physiology; Heart rate variability; Humans; Male; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Sex Characteristics; Skin conductance response; Surveys and Questionnaires; White noise; Worry; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0167-8760; 1872-7697
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.05.010

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. •Higher sympa- and lower parasympathetic responses to fear during worry in worriers•Reappraisal was associated with the lowest sympathetic response to fear.•Intolerance of uncertainty was a moderator of these relationships in worriers.