The effects of distraction on threat-related changes in attention focus and postural control

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate whether threat-related changes in attention focus and postural control could be modified using distraction. Healthy young adults (N=21) stood without (No Threat) and with (Threat) the possibility of receiving an unpredictable anterior or posterior support surface translation under conditions in which they were required to perform or not perform a distractor task. The results of the thesis showed significant threat-related changes in attention focus and postural control independent of distraction. When performing with distraction compared to without, threat-related changes in high-frequency sway (1.0-2.5 Hz) were significantly reduced, and threat-related changes in attention focus to self-regulatory strategies tended to be reduced. These findings suggest that distraction may modify threat-related changes in attention focus and postural control.