Two-dimensional anxiety: A confirmation using a computerized neuropsychological testing of attentional performance

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 344-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
JP Mialet ◽  
JC Bisserbe ◽  
A Jacobs ◽  
HG Pope

SummaryThe aim of this study was to assess the effects of anxiety on attentional performance with neutral stimuli. It was set up as follows: a fourfold comparison was made of trait anxiety and state anxiety. Sixty-two undergraduate students were included in the study, and four groups of subjects were set up by a median split of the scores obtained on the Spielberger Trait and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI): high trait-high state (N = 18); high trait-low state (N = 11); low trait-low state (N = 23); low trait-high state (N = 10). A computerized battery of neuropsychological tests, the ACE battery, was administered to provide a multidimensional assessment of attention. The ACE battery comprises five tests which assess the following aspects of attention: ability to monitor a routine task; temporal preparation; visual detection; memory span; visual spatial attention and memory. High state anxious subjects displayed impairment in executive functions, manifested by a significantly higher level of motor preparation in a simple reaction time (RT) task and a speed accuracy trade-off in a divided attention task; high trait anxious subjects performed significantly better on the visual detection task. No trait × state interaction was found. It was concluded that high state anxiety is associated with psychomotor alertness and high trait anxiety with perceptual alertness. These two dimensions of psychometric anxiety seem to have effects on attention that are independent of one another and which should be analysed separately in the future.

1983 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory P. Bauer ◽  
Robert S. Schlottmann ◽  
J. Vance Bates ◽  
Mark A. Masters

This study investigated the effects of state and trait anxiety on subjects' imitation of prestigious models. Female undergraduates were administered the Trait-anxiety scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and were then subjected either to anxiety inductions or relaxation procedures to manipulate state-anxiety levels. Four groups of 30 subjects each were obtained: high trait-high state, low trait-low state, high trait-low state, and low trait-high state. Subjects were then exposed to either a model of high prestige, one of low prestige, or a no-model condition. A visual fixation measure was taken to determine the amount of time subjects actually spent observing the model. A significant correlation was found between time spent observing the model and time taken to complete the maze. Subjects observing the model of high prestige tended to imitate the model's response style more than subjects observing one low in prestige. Highly trait-anxious subjects imitated more than low trait-anxious subjects when exposed to the model high in prestige. Since this study used only females, inferences to males should be made cautiously.


Author(s):  
Timothy J Meeker ◽  
Nichole M. Emerson ◽  
Jui-Hong Chien ◽  
Mark I. Saffer ◽  
Oscar Joseph Bienvenu ◽  
...  

A pathological increase in vigilance, or hypervigilance, may be related to pain intensity in some clinical pain syndromes and may result from attention bias to salient stimuli mediated by anxiety. During a continuous performance task where subjects discriminated painful target stimuli from painful nontargets, we measured detected targets (hits), nondetected targets (misses), nondetected nontargets (correct rejections), and detected nontargets (false alarms). Using signal detection theory, we calculated response bias, the tendency to endorse a stimulus as a target, and discriminability, the ability to discriminate a target from nontarget. Due to the relatively slow rate of stimulus presentation our primary hypothesis was that sustained performance would result in a more conservative response bias reflecting a lower response rate over time on task. We found a more conservative response bias with time on task and no change in discriminability. We predicted that greater state and trait anxiety would lead to a more liberal response bias. A multivariable model provided partial support for our prediction; high trait anxiety related to a more conservative response bias (lower response rate), while high state anxiety related to a more liberal bias. This inverse relationship of state and trait anxiety is consistent with reports of effects of state and trait anxiety on reaction times to threatening stimuli. In sum, we report that sustained attention to painful stimuli was associated with a decrease in the tendency of the subject to respond to any stimulus over time on task, while the ability to discriminate target from nontarget is unchanged.


2004 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Motl ◽  
Patrick J. O'connor ◽  
Rod K. Dishman

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e024512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuko Nakano ◽  
Masato Matsushima ◽  
Azusa Nakamori ◽  
Junshiro Hiroma ◽  
Eiji Matsuo ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo determine the presence and predictors of depression and anxiety in pet owners after a diagnosis of cancer in their pets.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingA veterinary medical centre specialised in oncology for dogs and cats and two primary veterinary clinics in Japan.ParticipantsThe participants for analysis were 99 owners of a pet with cancer diagnosis received in the past 1–3 weeks and 94 owners of a healthy pet.Main outcome measuresSelf-reported questionnaires were used to assess depression and anxiety. Depression was assessed using the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and anxiety was measured by using the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form JYZ.ResultsDepression scores were significantly higher in owners of a pet with cancer than owners of a healthy pet, even after adjustment for potential confounders (p<0.001). Within the owners of a pet with cancer, depression was significantly more common in those who were employed than those who were unemployed (p=0.048). State anxiety scores were significantly higher in owners of a pet with cancer than owners of a healthy pet, even after adjustment for potential confounders, including trait–anxiety scores (p<0.001). Furthermore, in owners of a pet with cancer, state anxiety was higher in owners with high trait anxiety (p<0.001) and in owners whose pets had a poor prognosis (p=0.027).ConclusionThe results indicate that some owners tended to become depressed and anxious after their pets had received a diagnosis of cancer. Employment may be a predictor of depression. High trait anxiety and a pet with a poor prognosis may increase owners’ state anxiety. Including the pet in a family genogram and attention to the pet’s health condition may be important considerations for family practice.


2007 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 1101-1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Blanchette ◽  
Anne Richards ◽  
Adele Cross

In 3 experiments, we investigate how anxiety influences interpretation of ambiguous facial expressions of emotion. Specifically, we examine whether anxiety modulates the effect of contextual cues on interpretation. Participants saw ambiguous facial expressions. Simultaneously, positive or negative contextual information appeared on the screen. Participants judged whether each expression was positive or negative. We examined the impact of verbal and visual contextual cues on participants’ judgements. We used 3 different anxiety induction procedures and measured levels of trait anxiety (Experiment 2). Results showed that high state anxiety resulted in greater use of contextual information in the interpretation of the facial expressions. Trait anxiety was associated with mood-congruent effects on interpretation, but not greater use of contextual information.


1981 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony E. Bass ◽  
Wiley Mittenberg ◽  
Jerry Petersen

42 undergraduates completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and then received biofeedback for increases in index finger-skin temperature. Subjects with high-trait anxiety increased their temperature significantly more than subjects with low-trait anxiety. No significant differences were found among state anxiety groups. The results supported the conclusion that predisposition to anxiety (trait), and not situational (state) anxiety, improves peripheral vasomotor control.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 74-78
Author(s):  
Guyem KOLBAŞI ◽  
Selçuk KIRLI

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare therelaxing effects of two religious music in people who has normal trait anxiety levels but high state anxiety levels and to investigate if the relaxing effect is relevant to cultural background. Methods: Sixty university students, aged between 20 and 25 with no psychiatric illnesses and no visual or hearing impairment were enrolled in this study. The participants were divided into subgroups consisting of ten people each. The two music applications were performed in two different sessions for each participants. All participants were given the trait anxiety inventory (STAI-2) at the beginning of the study, and state anxiety inventory (STAI-1) before the visual anxiety triggering material and after the music applications. Results: Both Sufi and Gregorian music caused a decrease in STAI-1 anxiety points, however, Sufi music was significantly effective in relieving anxiety compared to Gregorian music. Conclusion: The relatively more relaxing effect of Sufi music among participants may be due to the cultural archetypes.


1996 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 638-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. Schmidt ◽  
P. J. O'Connor ◽  
J. B. Cochrane ◽  
M. Cantwell

The effects of psychological parameters on resting metabolic rate (RMR) have been inadequately researched. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between anxiety and RMR. Seventy-nine male college students completed the trait portion (form Y-2) of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (C. D. Spielberger, R. L. Gorsuch, R. Lushene, P. R. Vagg, and G. A. Jacobs. Self-evaluation questionnaire (form Y). In: Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto, CA, Consulting Psychologists Press, 1983) as a screening. Volunteers whose trait anxiety scores were = or = 1 SD above (52.7 +/- 2.7, n = 9) or below (26.5 +/- 3.0, n = 11) the male college student normal values (38 +/- 9) participated in the study. Fat-free weight was assessed using a seven-site skinfold equation (A. S. Jackson and M. L. Pollock. Phys. Sports Med. 13: 76-90, 1985). Resting metabolism was measured (Sensormedics metabolic cart model 2900) at two separate trials (1-2 wk apart) in the early morning after a 12-h fast and 36 h postexercise. An analysis of covariance with fat-free weight as the covariate revealed a significantly greater (P < 0.005) RMR in the high trait anxious group than in the low trait anxious group. State anxiety (form Y-1) assessments made before and after each RMR measurement revealed a significant main effect of group such that state anxiety was higher in the high trait anxious than in the low trait anxious group for both trials before and after RMR measurement. Moreover, a significant (P < 0.003) main effect for the time factor was found showing that state anxiety was reduced after the RMR procedure. The results of this study show that a statistically significant portion of the variance in RMR can be accounted for by individual differences in anxiety.


2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maddy L. Dyer ◽  
Angela S. Attwood ◽  
Ian S. Penton-Voak ◽  
Marcus R. Munafò

State anxiety appears to influence facial emotion processing (Attwood et al . 2017 R. Soc. Open Sci. 4 , 160855). We aimed to (i) replicate these findings and (ii) investigate the role of trait anxiety, in an experiment with healthy UK participants ( N = 48, 50% male, 50% high trait anxiety). High and low state anxiety were induced via inhalations of 7.5% carbon dioxide enriched air and medical air, respectively. High state anxiety reduced global emotion recognition accuracy ( p = 0.01, η p 2 = 0.14 ), but it did not affect interpretation bias towards perceiving anger in ambiguous angry–happy facial morphs ( p = 0.18, η p 2 = 0.04 ). We found no clear evidence of a relationship between trait anxiety and global emotion recognition accuracy ( p = 0.60, η p 2 = 0.01 ) or interpretation bias towards perceiving anger ( p = 0.83, η p 2 = 0.01 ). However, there was greater interpretation bias towards perceiving anger (i.e. away from happiness) during heightened state anxiety, among individuals with high trait anxiety ( p = 0.03, d z = 0.33). State anxiety appears to impair emotion recognition accuracy, and among individuals with high trait anxiety, it appears to increase biases towards perceiving anger (away from happiness). Trait anxiety alone does not appear to be associated with facial emotion processing.


1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudolf Stark ◽  
Alfons Hamm ◽  
Anne Schienle ◽  
Bertram Walter ◽  
Dieter Vaitl

Abstract The present study investigated the influence of contextual fear in comparison to relaxation on heart period variability (HPV), and analyzed differences in HPV between low and high anxious, nonclinical subjects. Fifty-three women participated in the study. Each subject underwent four experimental conditions (control, fear, relaxation, and a combined fear-relaxation condition), lasting 10 min each. Fear was provoked by an unpredictable aversive human scream. Relaxation should be induced with the aid of verbal instructions. To control for respiratory effects on HPV, breathing was paced at 0.2 Hz using an indirect light source. Besides physiological measures (HPV measures, ECG, respiration, forearm EMG, blood pressure), emotional states (pleasure, arousal, dominance, state anxiety) were assessed by subjects' self-reports. Since relaxation instructions did not have any effect neither on the subjective nor on the physiological variables, the present paper focuses on the comparison of the control and the fear condition. The scream reliably induced changes in both physiological and self-report measures. During the fear condition, subjects reported more arousal and state anxiety as well as less pleasure and dominance. Heart period decreased, while EMG and diastolic blood pressure showed a tendency to increase. HPV remained largely unaltered with the exception of the LF component, which slightly decreased under fear induction. Replicating previous findings, trait anxiety was negatively associated with HPV, but there were no treatment-specific differences between subjects with low and high trait anxiety.


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