Scoales, M.; (2010) Facial affect recognition and attentional bias to threat faces in positive schizotypy. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

Abstract

Part 1-The Literature Review explores the topic of attentional bias which is thought to be a component of many anxiety disorders. A review of the literature on dot-probe studies of anxious individuals which used faces as stimuli found 24 studies. Studies of both socially anxious and generally anxious individuals suggest attentional bias in the initial, orienting stage of attention, which is increased by conditions of social threat. The review concludes that attentional vigilance for threat is a consistent feature of anxiety disorders including both social anxiety and GAD. There is little or no evidence to support the view that anxiety disorders are characterised by attentional avoidance of threat faces, as measured by the dot-probe paradigm. Part 2 -The Empirical Paper reports on a study of facial affect recognition and attentional bias in psychosis-prone participants. Data collection was shared with another trainee (see Appendix D). There was no difference in facial affect recognition between the two groups. The high schizotypy group did however display a significantly greater attentional bias score at 2000ms, and a significantly lower attentional bias score at lOOms, than the non psychosis-prone group. The limitations, clinical and research implications of this study are discussed. Part 3 -The Critical Appraisal describes the selection of the topic, ethical and theoretical considerations, an appraisal of the design and methodology, as well as reflections on the research process as a whole.

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