Anticipatory threat responses mediate the relationship between mindfulness and anxiety: A cross-sectional study.
Yuanyuan Xu, Wenqiang Huang, Xiaofan Yan, Fang Lu, Min Li
Frontiers in Public Health September 26, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.988577 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 71 |
| Population | 35 trait-anxious individuals and 36 low-anxious individuals |
| Measures | Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU), late positive potential (LPP), reaction time (RT) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Cross-sectional studies Anxiety disorders Lpp Intolerance of uncertainty Anticipatory threaten responses |
| Key findings | Trait-anxious individuals showed higher intolerance of uncertainty, lower mindfulness, larger LPP amplitudes, and longer reaction times than low-anxious individuals in unpredictable negative threat conditions. LPP amplitude and reaction time in uncertain threats mediated the relationship between mindfulness and anxiety, suggesting that mitigating anticipatory threat responses may be a mechanism by which mindfulness alleviates anxiety. |
Abstract
Increasing research has shown that mindfulness-based interventions can effectively alleviate anxiety; however, the underlying neural mechanism has not yet been elucidated. Recent studies suggest that abnormal and excessive anticipatory responses to unpredictable threats play an important role in anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness refers to the non-judgmental awareness of the present moment's real experience, which is antithetical to the future-oriented thinking processes involved in anxiety-oriented cognition and its corresponding emotion regulation tactics. Thus, mitigating anticipatory threat responses may be a potential mechanism by which mindfulness alleviates anxiety. This study aimed to detect the possible mediating effects of anticipatory threat responses on the relationship between mindfulness and anxiety. A total of 35 trait-anxious (TA) individuals and 36 low-anxious (LA) individuals were recruited to participate in the predictable and unpredictable threat test. Self-reported intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and electroencephalographic responses to uncertainty were recorded. TA individuals reported more IU and less mindfulness, and exhibited significantly higher late positive potential (LPP) and longer reaction time (RT) than LA individuals in the unpredictable negative threat condition. In addition, there were significant mediating effects of the LPP amplitude and RT in the uncertain threats on the relationship between mindfulness and anxiety. The data from this study verified that mitigating anticipatory threat responses (including self-reported IU, behavioral RT, and LPP amplitude) might be the potential mechanism by which mindfulness alleviates anxiety. These findings may have practical implications for the development and optimization of mindfulness treatments for anxiety.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. International sample of people who reported having used a psychedelic | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 985 |
| The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms Internet survey respondents reporting challenging experiences with psilocybin | 2016 | Questionnaire development and validation | |
| Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study Adult population in the United States | 2013 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 130,152 |
| Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Ecstasy users who participated in a WWW study of recreational drug use | 2002 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 282 |
| 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) used in a naturalistic group setting is associated with unintended improvements in depression and anxiety. Adults who used 5-MeO-DMT in a group setting with structured procedures | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 362 |
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Effects of two mindfulness based interventions on the distinct phases of the stress response across different physiological systems. Biological Psychology July 2022
- Responding to uncertain threat: A potential mediator for the effect of mindfulness on anxiety. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 2021
- The subjective experience of emotion: a fearful view. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences November 16, 2017
- A higher-order theory of emotional consciousness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences February 15, 2017
and 6 more in the library