Threat engagement, disengagement, and sensitivity bias in worry-prone individuals as measured by an emotional go/no-go task

Background and objectivesThe goal of the present study was to investigate a threat engagement, disengagement, and sensitivity bias in individuals suffering from pathological worry.MethodsTwenty participants high in worry proneness and 16 control participants low in worry proneness completed an emotional go/no-go task with worry-related threat words and neutral words.ResultsShorter reaction times (i.e., threat engagement bias), smaller omission error rates (i.e., threat sensitivity bias), and larger commission error rates (i.e., threat disengagement bias) emerged only in the high worry group when worry-related words constituted the go-stimuli and neutral words the no-go stimuli. Also, smaller omission error rates as well as larger commission error rates were observed in the high worry group relative to the low worry group when worry-related go stimuli and neutral no-go stimuli were used.LimitationsThe obtained results await further replication within a generalized anxiety disorder sample. Also, further samples should include men as well.ConclusionsOur data suggest that worry-prone individuals are threat-sensitive, engage more rapidly with aversion, and disengage harder.

► An emotional go/no-go task was developed.
► Worry-prone individuals are sensitive for threat.
► Worry-prone individuals engage faster with threat.
► Worry-prone individuals disengage harder from threat.