Abstract
Childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors has been associated with a number of negative outcomes, including anxiety
symptoms. However, research is lacking regarding the mechanisms that may explain these associations. One such mechanism may
be cognitive biases, or more specifically, the degree to which individuals interpret neutral or ambiguous events as threatening
(i.e., interpretive biases) and make negative judgments about their ability to cope with internal and external events (i.e.,
judgment biases). The purpose of this study was to examine the direct links between childhood exposure to parental threatening
behaviors and anxiety symptoms in young adulthood, as well as the mediating role of cognitive biases in this association.
Multiple mediator analyses in both normal (n = 643; mean age = 18.77 years, SD = 1.06; age range = 18–24; 69% women) and anxious groups (n = 152; mean age = 18.64 years, SD = 0.97; age range = 18–23; 80% women) revealed that childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors significantly predicted
current anxiety disorder symptoms. In both groups, this association was fully mediated by participants’ judgment biases. The
mediated effect was significant after controlling for negative affectivity. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that
childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors may set the stage for the development of judgment biases, which, in turn,
may increase the risk for anxiety symptoms. These findings highlight the potential utility of targeting judgment biases in
interventions for anxiety-related problems.
symptoms. However, research is lacking regarding the mechanisms that may explain these associations. One such mechanism may
be cognitive biases, or more specifically, the degree to which individuals interpret neutral or ambiguous events as threatening
(i.e., interpretive biases) and make negative judgments about their ability to cope with internal and external events (i.e.,
judgment biases). The purpose of this study was to examine the direct links between childhood exposure to parental threatening
behaviors and anxiety symptoms in young adulthood, as well as the mediating role of cognitive biases in this association.
Multiple mediator analyses in both normal (n = 643; mean age = 18.77 years, SD = 1.06; age range = 18–24; 69% women) and anxious groups (n = 152; mean age = 18.64 years, SD = 0.97; age range = 18–23; 80% women) revealed that childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors significantly predicted
current anxiety disorder symptoms. In both groups, this association was fully mediated by participants’ judgment biases. The
mediated effect was significant after controlling for negative affectivity. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that
childhood exposure to parental threatening behaviors may set the stage for the development of judgment biases, which, in turn,
may increase the risk for anxiety symptoms. These findings highlight the potential utility of targeting judgment biases in
interventions for anxiety-related problems.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10608-011-9414-7
- Authors
- Andres G. Viana, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
- Chad Ebesutani, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
- John Young, Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, 205 Peabody Hall, University, MS 38677, USA
- Matthew T. Tull, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
- Kim L. Gratz, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
- Journal Cognitive Therapy and Research
- Online ISSN 1573-2819
- Print ISSN 0147-5916