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Internet-delivered approach-avoidance conflict task shows temporal stability and relation to trait anxiety

Hoppe, Johanna M. ; Vegelius, Johan ; Gingnell, Malin ; Björkstrand, Johannes LU and Frick, Andreas (2022) In Learning and Motivation 80.
Abstract

Excessive avoidance causes functional impairment and maintains anxiety disorders. In the laboratory, approach-avoidance conflict tasks (AACT) can be used to study approach-avoidance behavior in mixed outcome situations (i.e., the same behavior entails both aversive and rewarding consequences). We tested the feasibility of a novel, internet-delivered AACT (iAACT) by conceptually replicating results from laboratory AACTs, including the temporal stability of results and the relation between trait anxiety and approach-avoidance behavior. Individuals from the general population (n = 186) completed a measure of trait anxiety and the iAACT, which entailed choosing either to approach aversive stimuli (image-sound) and receive a reward (points),... (More)

Excessive avoidance causes functional impairment and maintains anxiety disorders. In the laboratory, approach-avoidance conflict tasks (AACT) can be used to study approach-avoidance behavior in mixed outcome situations (i.e., the same behavior entails both aversive and rewarding consequences). We tested the feasibility of a novel, internet-delivered AACT (iAACT) by conceptually replicating results from laboratory AACTs, including the temporal stability of results and the relation between trait anxiety and approach-avoidance behavior. Individuals from the general population (n = 186) completed a measure of trait anxiety and the iAACT, which entailed choosing either to approach aversive stimuli (image-sound) and receive a reward (points), or to avoid them and not receive a reward (i.e., costly avoidance). The temporal stability of approach-avoidance behavior was assessed by inviting participants to repeat the iAACT six weeks later (n = 91). Consistent with previous findings in laboratory AACTs, results showed that approach behavior to aversive stimuli increased with higher reward levels. These findings were replicated in the follow-up session. Also consistent with previous studies, higher trait anxiety was associated with elevated costly avoidance. In conclusion, the consistency of our results with laboratory studies indicates that the iAACT is feasible and may provide a cost-effective and scalable method to study anxiety-related approach-avoidance behavior remotely.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Approach, Approach-avoidance conflict task, Avoidance, Internet-delivered experiments, Trait anxiety
in
Learning and Motivation
volume
80
article number
101848
publisher
Academic Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85141863954
ISSN
0023-9690
DOI
10.1016/j.lmot.2022.101848
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7db9f57b-fce9-4c8e-bd96-f72278cb05a1
date added to LUP
2022-12-28 08:31:07
date last changed
2022-12-28 08:38:24
@article{7db9f57b-fce9-4c8e-bd96-f72278cb05a1,
  abstract     = {{<p>Excessive avoidance causes functional impairment and maintains anxiety disorders. In the laboratory, approach-avoidance conflict tasks (AACT) can be used to study approach-avoidance behavior in mixed outcome situations (i.e., the same behavior entails both aversive and rewarding consequences). We tested the feasibility of a novel, internet-delivered AACT (iAACT) by conceptually replicating results from laboratory AACTs, including the temporal stability of results and the relation between trait anxiety and approach-avoidance behavior. Individuals from the general population (n = 186) completed a measure of trait anxiety and the iAACT, which entailed choosing either to approach aversive stimuli (image-sound) and receive a reward (points), or to avoid them and not receive a reward (i.e., costly avoidance). The temporal stability of approach-avoidance behavior was assessed by inviting participants to repeat the iAACT six weeks later (n = 91). Consistent with previous findings in laboratory AACTs, results showed that approach behavior to aversive stimuli increased with higher reward levels. These findings were replicated in the follow-up session. Also consistent with previous studies, higher trait anxiety was associated with elevated costly avoidance. In conclusion, the consistency of our results with laboratory studies indicates that the iAACT is feasible and may provide a cost-effective and scalable method to study anxiety-related approach-avoidance behavior remotely.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hoppe, Johanna M. and Vegelius, Johan and Gingnell, Malin and Björkstrand, Johannes and Frick, Andreas}},
  issn         = {{0023-9690}},
  keywords     = {{Approach; Approach-avoidance conflict task; Avoidance; Internet-delivered experiments; Trait anxiety}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Academic Press}},
  series       = {{Learning and Motivation}},
  title        = {{Internet-delivered approach-avoidance conflict task shows temporal stability and relation to trait anxiety}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2022.101848}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.lmot.2022.101848}},
  volume       = {{80}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}