FEAR CONDITIONING AND EXTINCTION IN ANXIOUS AND NONANXIOUS YOUTH AND ADULTS: EXAMINING A NOVEL DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE FEAR-CONDITIONING TASK

Abstract

The novel bell-conditioning task is potent in eliciting fear responses but tolerable for pediatric and anxious populations. Our findings are consistent with prior studies that have shown comparable fear learning processes in anxious and nonanxious youth, but dissimilar from studies exhibiting between-group differences in extinction. Given the limited research on fear conditioning in youth, methodological issues and suggestions for future work are discussed.