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. 2018 May:104:62-68.
doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2018.03.002. Epub 2018 Mar 8.

Avoidance and escape: Defensive reactivity and trait anxiety

Christopher T Sege  1 , Margaret M Bradley  2 , Peter J Lang  2
Affiliations

Avoidance and escape: Defensive reactivity and trait anxiety

Christopher T Sege et al. Behav Res Ther. 2018 May.

Abstract

Although avoidance and escape behaviors each contribute to maintaining anxiety disorders, only avoidance completely eliminates exposure to the aversive context. Current research compared anticipatory defensive engagement when aversion could either be completely avoided or escaped after initial exposure; in addition, this research examined the impact of trait anxiety on coping-related defensive engagement. Cues signaled that upcoming rapid action would avoid (block), escape (terminate), or not affect subsequent aversive exposure; the acoustic startle reflex was measured during each anticipatory interval to index defensive engagement, and blink magnitudes were compared across low-, moderate-, and high-anxious individuals. For all participants, startle was potentiated when aversive exposure was uncontrollable and attenuated when aversion was avoidable. On escape trials, on the other hand, startle potentiation increased with rising participant anxiety. Results suggest 1) defensive engagement is generally reduced in avoidance contexts relative to contexts in which exposure is certain, and; 2) trait anxiety increases defensive engagement specifically when aversive exposure can be controlled but remains certain.

Keywords: Anxiety; Avoidance; Escape; Heart rate; Skin conductance; Startle reflex.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Experiment design.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Late-cue reflex reactivity across low, moderate, and highly anxious groups, presented separately for avoidance, escape, and uncontrollable aversive contexts. ITI = 50. Note: ^p < .10, *p < .05, ***p < .001.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Autonomic reactivity in avoidance, escape, and uncontrollable aversive contexts. Left panel depicts heart rate responding across the cue interval; inset depicts mean deceleration during the final 4 – 5.5 s of cuing. Right panel depicts skin conductance response across the cue interval; inset depicts mean responding during the final 3.5 – 5.5 s. Note: ^p < .10, *p < .05, ***p < .001; marks indicate statistical differences from the no control condition.
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