Early childhood experiences and cognitive risk factors for anxiety symptoms among college students

• Published in: Journal of American college health Vol. 69; no. 3; pp. 268 - 274
• Main Authors: Taylor, Danielle L., Espeleta, Hannah C., Kraft, Jacob D., Grant, DeMond M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 03.04.2021; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adverse childhood experiences; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; At Risk Students; Attention Control; attentional control; Attentional processes; Childhood experiences; College students; Correlation; Early Experience; Executive Function; Indirect effects; Mental Health; moderated-mediation; Repetitive negative thinking; Risk factors; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Trauma; Undergraduate Students; Vulnerability; worry; worry; attentional control; anxiety; Repetitive negative thinking; moderated-mediation; adverse childhood experiences
• ISSN: 0744-8481; 1940-3208
• DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1664552

Data indicate that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a risk factor for cognitive and attentional vulnerabilities. A vulnerability linked to these impairments is repetitive negative thinking (RNT), and data suggest that RNT and anxiety symptoms may be moderated by attentional control. The current study investigated the effect of these risk factors on symptoms of anxiety. Participants: College students (N = 376) were recruited from a university. Methods: Participants were administered questionnaires online to assess retrospective ACEs, current RNT, attentional control, and anxiety symptoms. Results: There was an indirect effect of ACEs on anxiety symptoms through RNT. High attentional control moderated the indirect effects, such that high compared to low attentional control was associated with an increased effect of RNT on anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: Increased ACEs may be a risk factor for RNT among college students. Combined with high attentional control, these may be risk factors for anxiety symptoms.