The Behavioral Control and Adjustment Study examines the ways in which actual and perceived behavioral control influence the relation between childhood adversity and young adult adjustment, in particular, anxiety symptomatology. In the domain of child maltreatment, perceived control has been identified as one potential determinant of maladaptation. Furthermore, maltreatment has also been linked to deficits in actual control (i.e., deficits in emotion and behavior regulation). Therefore, understanding the contributions of both actual and perceived control of emotions and behaviors in the wake of childhood adversity of multiple types is essential to identifying specific pathways to outcomes.

 

In particular, anxiety disorders are a key adjustment outcome vulnerable to deficits in actual and perceived control. However, it remains to evaluate the extent to which particular anxiety disorders (e.g. claustrophobia, social anxiety disorder) are especially vulnerable to deficits in control, and whether certain specific anxiety disorders are characterized by over-control vs. under-control, along both perceived and actual dimensions.

 

This study uses both self-report and behavioral measures of multi-dimensional perceived and actual control to evaluate these questions in a large sample of undergraduate students.