PreprintArticleVersion 1Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
The Reflective Mind of the Anxious in Action: Metacognitive Beliefs and Maladaptive Emotional Regulation Strategies Constrain Working Memory Efficacity
Cécillon, F.-X.; Mermillod, M.; Leys, C.; Bastin, H.; Lachaux, J.-P.; Shankland, R. The Reflective Mind of the Anxious in Action: Metacognitive Beliefs and Maladaptive Emotional Regulation Strategies Constrain Working Memory Efficiency. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ.2024, 14, 505-530.
Cécillon, F.-X.; Mermillod, M.; Leys, C.; Bastin, H.; Lachaux, J.-P.; Shankland, R. The Reflective Mind of the Anxious in Action: Metacognitive Beliefs and Maladaptive Emotional Regulation Strategies Constrain Working Memory Efficiency. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2024, 14, 505-530.
Cécillon, F.-X.; Mermillod, M.; Leys, C.; Bastin, H.; Lachaux, J.-P.; Shankland, R. The Reflective Mind of the Anxious in Action: Metacognitive Beliefs and Maladaptive Emotional Regulation Strategies Constrain Working Memory Efficiency. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ.2024, 14, 505-530.
Cécillon, F.-X.; Mermillod, M.; Leys, C.; Bastin, H.; Lachaux, J.-P.; Shankland, R. The Reflective Mind of the Anxious in Action: Metacognitive Beliefs and Maladaptive Emotional Regulation Strategies Constrain Working Memory Efficiency. Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2024, 14, 505-530.
Abstract
The Attentional Control Theory (ACT) suggests that trait anxiety does not directly affect performance but may alter processing efficiency through the generation of compensatory strategies. However, the ACT does not describe the nature of these strategies, which could be reflective in nature. One hundred ten students (M = 20.12; SD = 2.10) completed questionnaires on trait anxiety, metacognitive beliefs, and emotion regulation strategies (ERS). They performed two working memory tasks: the digit span task from the WAIS-IV and an emotional n-back task. Anxiety, metacognitive beliefs, and maladaptive ERS were not linked to performance but were associated with longer response times. Additionally, participants using maladaptive ERS, such catastrophizing and rumination, made fewer negative commission errors and employed more strategies during the digit span. These findings support the role of the reflective level in influencing trait anxiety's impact on performance and emphasize considering metacognitive beliefs and maladaptive ERS for a comprehensive understanding of the ACT. Identifying these variables provides insights to optimize cognitive abilities and promote academic success.
Keywords
anxiety; metacognitive belief; executive function; emotion regulation; working memory; attentional control theory
Subject
Social Sciences, Psychology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
,
,
,
