Impaired pattern of cognitive control moderates attentional bias in individuals with social anxiety

The potential relationship between cognitive control pattern and attentional bias in individuals with high social anxiety (HSAs) remains unclear. This study uses the Dual Mechanisms of Control framework to investigate the impact of cognitive control patterns on attentional bias in HSAs. 55 individuals with low social anxiety (LSAs) and 67 HSAs completed the AX-continuous performance task and dot-probe task. Compared to LSAs, HSAs demonstrated lower accuracy on BX and AY trial and a reduced discrimination index, indicating deficits in both proactive and reactive control. Notably, moderation analyses revealed that for those with higher proactive control, higher LSAS scores were associated with faster disengagement from threat-related social cues, while for those with lower proactive control, LSAS scores were unrelated to disengagement. Similarly, higher LSAS scores were associated with stronger attentional engagement with threat cues among individuals with higher reactive control. However, this association was eliminated among individuals with lower reactive control. This study is the first to reveal a pattern of co-impairment in both proactive and reactive control systems, alongside an independent moderation of attentional bias in HSAs, providing a more refined theoretical framework for targeted interventions.