Early Experiences of Threat, Attentional Avoidance of Fearful Facial Expressions, and Subsequent Internalizing Problems in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Investigation.
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| Title: | Early Experiences of Threat, Attentional Avoidance of Fearful Facial Expressions, and Subsequent Internalizing Problems in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Investigation. |
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| Authors: | Buthmann, Jessica (AUTHOR), Gotlib, Ian (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Cognitive Therapy & Research. Dec2025, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p1132-1143. 12p. |
| Subjects: | Attentional bias, Mental health, Emotional trauma, Mental depression, Gender differences (Psychology), Facial expression, Longitudinal method, Teenagers |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Internalizing disorders, such as anxiety and depression, in adolescents have been characterized by biases in their attention to negatively valenced stimuli. Further, exposure to early life stress (ELS) has consistently been associated with risk for internalizing disorders. Our goal was to test whether attention bias mediates the association between ELS and internalizing problems. Researchers have begun to differentiate between ELS characterized by threats to safety and ELS characterized by deprivation of resources. However, we do not know whether ELS characterized by threat or deprivation is associated with attentional biases, or whether there are sex differences in these associations. It is also not clear whether threat- and deprivation-related ELS is related to a bias toward or away from negatively valenced stimuli. Methods: We administered a dot-probe task to assess bias toward fearful, sad, happy, and neutral faces to a sample of adolescents (N = 103, Mage=9–13 years) who reported on their history of exposure to ELS at a baseline assessment and on their internalizing problems four years later. Results: We found that threat-related ELS was associated in girls with a bias away from fearful faces (when paired with neutral faces) and in boys with a bias toward fearful faces. Further, these biases mediated the association of threat-related ELS with subsequent internalizing problems; bias toward sad and happy faces did not mediate these associations. Conclusions: Early experiences of threat may sensitize girls to avoid stimuli that signal the potential for harm, while leading boys to be more attuned to these cues, which, in turn, could increase their likelihood of experiencing internalizing problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Cognitive Therapy & Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 189532584 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Early Experiences of Threat, Attentional Avoidance of Fearful Facial Expressions, and Subsequent Internalizing Problems in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Investigation. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Buthmann%2C+Jessica%22">Buthmann, Jessica</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gotlib%2C+Ian%22">Gotlib, Ian</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Cognitive+Therapy+%26+Research%22">Cognitive Therapy & Research</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p1132-1143. 12p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attentional+bias%22">Attentional bias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+trauma%22">Emotional trauma</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+depression%22">Mental depression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+differences+%28Psychology%29%22">Gender differences (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Facial+expression%22">Facial expression</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+method%22">Longitudinal method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teenagers%22">Teenagers</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: Internalizing disorders, such as anxiety and depression, in adolescents have been characterized by biases in their attention to negatively valenced stimuli. Further, exposure to early life stress (ELS) has consistently been associated with risk for internalizing disorders. Our goal was to test whether attention bias mediates the association between ELS and internalizing problems. Researchers have begun to differentiate between ELS characterized by threats to safety and ELS characterized by deprivation of resources. However, we do not know whether ELS characterized by threat or deprivation is associated with attentional biases, or whether there are sex differences in these associations. It is also not clear whether threat- and deprivation-related ELS is related to a bias toward or away from negatively valenced stimuli. Methods: We administered a dot-probe task to assess bias toward fearful, sad, happy, and neutral faces to a sample of adolescents (N = 103, Mage=9–13 years) who reported on their history of exposure to ELS at a baseline assessment and on their internalizing problems four years later. Results: We found that threat-related ELS was associated in girls with a bias away from fearful faces (when paired with neutral faces) and in boys with a bias toward fearful faces. Further, these biases mediated the association of threat-related ELS with subsequent internalizing problems; bias toward sad and happy faces did not mediate these associations. Conclusions: Early experiences of threat may sensitize girls to avoid stimuli that signal the potential for harm, while leading boys to be more attuned to these cues, which, in turn, could increase their likelihood of experiencing internalizing problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Cognitive Therapy & Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10608-025-10613-1 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 1132 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Attentional bias Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental health Type: general – SubjectFull: Emotional trauma Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental depression Type: general – SubjectFull: Gender differences (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Facial expression Type: general – SubjectFull: Longitudinal method Type: general – SubjectFull: Teenagers Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Early Experiences of Threat, Attentional Avoidance of Fearful Facial Expressions, and Subsequent Internalizing Problems in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Investigation. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Buthmann, Jessica – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Gotlib, Ian IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: Dec2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01475916 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 49 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: Cognitive Therapy & Research Type: main |
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