Exploring Fluctuations in State Anxiety and Attentional Bias toward Threat across the Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Individuals

The study investigates how state anxiety and attentional bias toward threat (ABT; the tendency to focus attention on threat-related stimuli) fluctuate across the menstrual cycle phases. Research suggests that hormonal changes, particularly in estradiol and progesterone, contribute to heightened state anxiety and ABT before menstruation (luteal phase). To examine these variations, we compared within-subject changes in state anxiety and ABT between the early follicular phase (day 4), characterized by hormonal stability, and the late luteal phase (four days before menstruation), characterized by rapid hormonal decline. Additionally, we explored associations between trait anxiety and state anxiety, and examined whether state anxiety moderated the effect of cycle phases on ABT. We hypothesized that state anxiety and ABT would increase during the late luteal phase, that higher trait anxiety would be associated with greater state anxiety in both phases, and that state anxiety would...Show moreThe study investigates how state anxiety and attentional bias toward threat (ABT; the tendency to focus attention on threat-related stimuli) fluctuate across the menstrual cycle phases. Research suggests that hormonal changes, particularly in estradiol and progesterone, contribute to heightened state anxiety and ABT before menstruation (luteal phase). To examine these variations, we compared within-subject changes in state anxiety and ABT between the early follicular phase (day 4), characterized by hormonal stability, and the late luteal phase (four days before menstruation), characterized by rapid hormonal decline. Additionally, we explored associations between trait anxiety and state anxiety, and examined whether state anxiety moderated the effect of cycle phases on ABT. We hypothesized that state anxiety and ABT would increase during the late luteal phase, that higher trait anxiety would be associated with greater state anxiety in both phases, and that state anxiety would moderate the relationship between cycle phase and ABT. A sample of 30 individuals (aged 25–35) with regular natural menstrual cycles (25–32 days) was assessed three times. Trait anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Trait-5 (STAIT-5), state anxiety via the anxiety subscale of the Mini Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (Mini-DASS), and ABT through the Dot Probe Task (DPT). The results showed no significant differences in state anxiety or ABT between phases. Trait anxiety was positively associated with state anxiety in both phases and state anxiety did not moderate the relationship between cycle phase and ABT. The findings are discussed in relation to existing literature, study strengths and limitations, and future research directions.Show less

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Exploring Fluctuations in State Anxiety and Attentional Bias toward Threat across the Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Individuals