Adapting Minds: Exploring Cognition to Threatened Stimuli in the Post-COVID-19 Landscape Comparing Old and New Concerns about Pandemic

Giuseppe Forte; Francesca Favieri; Ilaria Corbo; Giovanna Troisi; Giulia Marselli; Barbara Blasutto; Renato Ponce; Enrico Di Pace; Viviana Langher; Renata Tambelli; Maria Casagrande

doi:10.3390/brainsci14070711

Brain Sciences (Jul 2024)

Adapting Minds: Exploring Cognition to Threatened Stimuli in the Post-COVID-19 Landscape Comparing Old and New Concerns about Pandemic

Giuseppe Forte,
Francesca Favieri,
Ilaria Corbo,
Giovanna Troisi,
Giulia Marselli,
Barbara Blasutto,
Renato Ponce,
Enrico Di Pace,
Viviana Langher,
Renata Tambelli,
Maria Casagrande

Affiliations

Giuseppe Forte: Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Francesca Favieri: Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Ilaria Corbo: Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giovanna Troisi: Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giulia Marselli: Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Barbara Blasutto: Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Renato Ponce: Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Enrico Di Pace: Department of Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Viviana Langher: Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Renata Tambelli: Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Maria Casagrande: Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health Studies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14070711
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 7
p. 711

Abstract

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The global population has been significantly affected by the pandemic in terms of physical and mental health. According to transactional theory, individuals have undergone an adaptation process influenced by cognitive control abilities. Emotional responses to COVID-19-related stimuli may interfere with top-down attentional processes, thereby hindering adaptation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19-related stimuli on attentional processing and to determine whether psychological factors could modulate these effects. A sample of 96 healthy undergraduate students participated in an emotional Stroop task in which they were presented with a series of stimuli, including both neutral and negative COVID-19-related as well as non-COVID-19 stimuli. COVID-19-related PTSD, as an index of distress (PTSS), and trait anxiety were evaluated. Results showed that participants were more accurate in identifying COVID-19-related stimuli compared to non-COVID-19 stimuli. Being female and having higher retrospective PTSS scores related to COVID-19 were predictive of faster reaction times for both neutral and negative COVID-19-related stimuli. This heightened attentional bias toward COVID-19-related stimuli suggests that individuals may be more sensitive to stimuli associated with the pandemic. The results suggest that the association between COVID-19 stimuli and attentional biases extends beyond emotional valence, being retrospectively influenced by mental health, suggesting potential pathways to future mental health challenges.

Published in Brain Sciences

ISSN: 2076-3425 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/brainsci/

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