Exaggerated attention blink response in prisoners with externalizing

Abstract

The diverse phenotypic expressions of disinhibitory psychopathology are believed to reflect a common latent predisposing variable: externalizing. While deficiencies in executive functioning (i.e., cognitive/inhibitory control, working memory) and affective hyper-reactivity are commonly associated with externalizing, there is also evidence that externalizing is related to anomalous allocation of attention. In this study, we administered an attention blink task to a sample of male prisoners and assessed externalizing using the Impulsive-Antisociality scale (Benning, Patrick, Hicks, Blonigen, & Krueger, 2003). Individuals with high Impulsive-Antisociality displayed a significantly steeper attention blink (i.e., less accurate identification of a second target) than individuals with low Impulsive-Antisociality. Results provide new evidence that externalizers over-allocate attention to salient information and suggest a novel conceptualization of their disinhibitory psychopathology.

Feature-based attention and conflict monitoring in criminal offenders: Interactive relations of psychopathy with anxiety and externalizing.

“…However, the response modulation deficits associated with psychopathy and externalizing appear to involve distinct psychobiological processes (Baskin-Sommers & Newman, 2013; Newman, 1997; Patterson & Newman, 1993). Whereas the dysregulated behavior of psychopathic individuals is associated with early attention problems (i.e., attention bottleneck) and reduced emotional reactivity (Baskin-Sommers, Curtin, Li, & Newman, 2011; Baskin-Sommers et al, 2011; Wolf et al, 2011), the dysregulated behavior of externalizing individuals entails exaggerated emotional reactivity and subsequent deficiencies in selective attention (i.e., Baskin-Sommers, Curtin, Larson, Stout, Kiehl, & Newman, 2012; Baskin-Sommers, Wolf, et al, 2012). Thus, individuals displaying a combination of psychopathic and externalizing traits will not necessarily display a more extreme response modulation deficit.…”

Neural correlates of emotion reappraisal in individuals with externalizing psychopathology

“…Previous models suggest that EXT is characterized by high levels of affective reactivity that overwhelm the cognitive processes that mediate emotion regulation (Baskin-Sommers et al, 2012a; Baskin-Sommers et al, 2012b; Buckholtz et al, 2010; MacCoon, Wallace, & Newman, 2004; Martin & Potts, 2004); however, little previous research has directly investigated the neural mechanisms of emotion reactivity and regulation among individuals with EXT. The present results, in contrast to predictions of cognitive-affective models of EXT, demonstrated anomalous activation primarily in regions commonly associated with affect, perception, and attention, suggesting an alternative perceptual-attentional pathway towards emotional dysregulation among high EXT individuals.…”

“…(Bechara & Martin, 2004; Endres et al, 2011; Endres, Donkin, & Finn, 2014; Finn, Gunn, & Gerst, 2015; Morgan & Lilienfeld, 2000). In addition to these behavioral and cognitive problems, EXT has also been associated with affective dysregulation, such that these individuals are likely to also experience depression, anxiety, and other internalizing disorders as well as increased impulsive behavior in strong affective states (Baskin-Sommers, Wolf, Buckholtz, Warren, & Newman, 2012b; Cyders & Smith, 2007; Cyders & Smith, 2008; Krueger & Markon, 2006). …”

“…Specifically, while affective or motivationally-relevant information typically receive priority of processing resources in healthy individuals (Ehring et al, 2010; Lim et al, 2009; Morris et al, 1998; Pessoa, 2009), individuals with EXT demonstrate over-allocation of these processing resources, resulting in an inability to adequately complete other resource-demanding tasks such as those involving cognitive control or emotion regulation (Baskin-Sommers, et al, 2012a; Baskin-Sommers et al, 2012b; Buckholtz et al, 2010; MacCoon, Wallace, & Newman, 2004; Martin & Potts, 2004). While these studies provide an integrative framework for understanding the association between the cognitive deficits observed in EXT and affective dysregulation, relatively little is known about affective dysregulation specifically among individuals with EXT.…”

Highly Structured Treatment Programs for Addicted Offenders: Comparing the Effects of the Reasoning & Rehabilitation Program and DBT-F

“…Affective and inhibitory deficits can materialize or dissipate in individuals with psychopathy depending on whether affective or inhibitory information is congruent with their goal (26)(27)(28)(29)(30). Combined, these studies show that persons with externalizing traits display deficits in executive functions and over-react to emotional information (31)(32)(33)(34). They are prone to over-allocate cognitive resources to stimuli in situations that are subjectively motivationally significant.…”