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Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
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Trait and state anxiety: relations to executive functioning in an at-risk sample
Alexandra Ursache1, C Cybele Raver
1a Department of Applied Psychology , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
Cognition & Emotion
|November 16, 2013
Summary
Higher trait anxiety is linked to poorer executive functioning (EF) in children. State anxiety, however, was linked to better performance on one EF task, the Stroop task.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Child Development
Background:
- Mixed evidence exists regarding the relationship between anxiety and executive functions (EF) in adults.
- Previous research on children's anxiety and EF is limited by small sample sizes and a narrow focus on working memory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between state and trait anxiety and performance on two executive function tasks in urban, low-income children aged 9-12.
- To extend the understanding of anxiety's impact on cognitive functions in a pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A sample of urban, low-income children (ages 9-12) completed two executive function tasks.
- State anxiety and trait anxiety levels were measured for each participant.
Main Results:
- Higher trait anxiety was significantly associated with lower performance on both executive function tasks.
- Higher state anxiety was associated with improved performance on the Stroop task.
Conclusions:
- Consistent with adult findings, elevated trait anxiety is related to diminished executive functioning in children.
- State anxiety may have differential effects on specific executive functions, potentially enhancing performance on tasks like the Stroop test in children.
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