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Mistake Responses Linked to Anxiety Avoidance Behaviors
Texas A&M study finds emotional processing of errors predicts development of anxiety disorders
Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:39pm
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Researchers at Texas A&M University have discovered a connection between how intensely individuals react to their own mistakes and the subsequent development of anxiety-driven avoidance behaviors. The study, led by Associate Professor Annmarie MacNamara, monitored brain activity in participants and found that those exhibiting strong initial emotional responses to errors, followed by a 'blunting' or reduction in that response over time, were more likely to exhibit increased avoidant behaviors a year later.
Why it matters
This research suggests that the way people process errors, not just the errors themselves, is a key factor in the development of anxiety disorders. By identifying objective biomarkers like brain activity patterns, the study points towards a future of more personalized and targeted treatments for mental health conditions, moving psychiatry closer to the precision of other medical fields.
The details
The study involved 74 participants experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, or OCD. Researchers monitored brain activity immediately after participants made errors, and again a year later. They found that those exhibiting strong initial emotional reactions to errors, followed by a 'blunting' or decrease in that response over time, demonstrated increased avoidant behaviors over the course of the year.
- The study was published in Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science in 2026.
- Researchers monitored participants' brain activity immediately after they made errors, and again one year later.
The players
Annmarie MacNamara
An associate professor at Texas A&M University who led the research study on the link between emotional processing of errors and the development of anxiety disorders.
Texas A&M University
The university where the research study was conducted by the Multimethod Affect and Cognition (MAC) lab.
What they’re saying
“Everyone makes mistakes, but those individuals who respond with a lot of emotion, or a lot of intensity, when they do make an error, those are the individuals that tend to suffer from anxiety.”
— Annmarie MacNamara, Associate Professor
“If we could advance an increased understanding of the different types of disorders that are out there and objective markers of those disorders, maybe we can develop better and more targeted treatments. We're very far from that in psychiatry.”
— Annmarie MacNamara, Associate Professor
What’s next
The Multimethod Affect and Cognition (MAC) lab at Texas A&M University plans to continue exploring the use of advanced neuroimaging techniques and psychophysiological measures to further understand the neural mechanisms underlying emotional processing and anxiety.
The takeaway
This research highlights the potential for using objective biomarkers, such as brain activity patterns, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders. By understanding how individuals process and respond to their own mistakes, clinicians may be able to develop more personalized interventions to help manage anxiety symptoms.
