Vergleich von Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) und Biofeedback/Stress-Impfungstraining in der Behandlung von Prüfungsangst

EMDR und Biofeedback / Stress-Impfungstraining und Nicht-Behandlung (NB) wurden in ihrer Wirkung, Prüfungsangst zu reduzieren, verglichen. Hierzu wurden jeder Kohorte 30 College-Studenten mit hoher Prüfungsangst randomisiert zugewiesen. Prä / Post-Bewertungen wurden unter Verwendung des Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Rational Behaviour Inventory (RBI) und Autonomic Perception Questionnaire (APQ) durchgeführt. Behandelnde Therapeuten waren qualifizierte Fachleute mit mindestens zweijähriger Berufserfahrung in ihrem jeweiligen Verfahren. Die statistische Analyse, in der eine wechselseitige Varianzanalyse mit wiederholten Messungen durchgeführt wurde, ergab für alle Meßverfahren außer dem RBI signifikante Zusammenhänge zwischen dem Zeitfaktor (d.h. den Prä- / Post-Messungen) und den eingesetzten Verfahren. Die Veränderungs-Messwerte wurden post hoc Newman-Keuls Analysen unterzogen und zeigten, dass sowohl EMDR als auch B / SIT die Prüfungsangst signifikant reduzierten. Insgesamt erzielte EMDR hierbei bessere Ergebnisse als B / SIT.

Psychophysiological Stress Reactivity Relationships across the Menstrual Cycle

While evidence suggests that women exhibit psychophysiological differences in stress reactivity across the menstrual cycle, the relationships among psychological and physiological stress reactivity states are not well understood. Healthy, normally cycling women (N=44) participated in two counterbalanced laboratory sessions during the follicular and luteal phases where heart rate and subjective stress were assessed in response to stressors. There were no differences in the magnitudes of psychophysiological stress responses across the cycle. Psychological and physiological states were largely unrelated in the follicular phase but interrelationships were found in the luteal phase and these relationships were influenced by autonomic perception and trait anxiety. For women with high trait anxiety, autonomic perception appeared to buffer psychological and physiological stress reactivity during the luteal phase, suggesting that autonomic perception may be a protective factor for more anxious women during times of acute stress.

Comparison of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and Biofeedback/Stress Inoculation Training in Treating Test Anxiety

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and Biofeedback/Stress Inoculation Training (B/SIT) treatment and no treatment (NT) were compared in reducing test anxiety. Thirty college students with high test anxiety were randomly assigned to each condition. Pre-post assessments were conducted using the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Rational Behavior Inventory (RBI), and Autonomic Perception Questionnaire (APQ). Treatment therapists were licensed professionals with at least 2 years experience in their respective modality. Statistical analysis using a two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures found significant interactions between time (pre-post) and treatment conditions for all measures except the RBI. Post hoc Newman–Keuls analyses were conducted on the change scores, indicating that both EMDR and B/SIT significantly reduced test anxiety. EMDR generally outperformed B/SIT.

Gender Differences in the Causal Elements of Self-Efficacy on a High Avoidance Motor Task

This investigation contrasted path analysis models for 40 males and 40 females based on the predictions of Feltz's (1982) respecification model of Ban-dura' s (1977) self-efficacy theory in the approach/avoidance of two trials of a modified back dive. The hypothesized (respecified) model proposed that previous related experiences, self-efficacy, and heart rate predicted initial back-diving performance and that previous performance and self-efficacy predicted subsequent performance. The hypothesized model also proposed that self-efficacy mediates the influence of autonomic perception of arousal on performance. Results indicated that males had lower state anxiety and autonomic perception scores than females on the first trial. No differences occurred for back-diving performance, self-efficacy, or heart rate. Path analysis results indicated that the hypothesized model fit the data better for females than for males, though it left much unexplained variance for both males and females. Females showed a reciprocal relationship between self-efficacy and performance, whereas males showed a reciprocal relationship between autonomic perception and heart rate. Previous performance and self-efficacy were strong predictors of subsequent performance for both males and females.

Prognostic Factors in the Behavioral Treatment of Agoraphobia

A multiple linear regression analysis was made on behavioral, questionnaire and other data from 40 agoraphobic patients, who participated in a behavioral outcome study. The dependent variable was treatment outcome as determined by changes in behavioral, subjective and physiological data after treatment and at 7-month and 15-month follow-up. The main predictors of outcome were self-rated anxiety and heart-rate at a behavioral test, and scores on the Autonomic Perception Questionnaire and Fear Survey Schedule-III, all related to the phobia. However, both level of depression and marital relationship were found to be weak predictors.

Relationship between Self-Consciousness, Autonomic Perception, and Psychosomatic Disorders

The Self-consciousness Scale, Autonomic Perception Questionnaire, and the Medical History Questionnaire were administered to 127 undergraduate students in psychology. Although scores on self-consciousness were not related to those on any other measure, autonomic perception was significantly correlated with a self-report of psychosomatic disorders.

A Replication of the Path Analysis of the Causal Elements in Bandura's Theory of Self-efficacy and the Influence of Autonomic Perception

The present investigation was designed to replicate and extend the Feltz (1982) study of the causal elements in Bandura's (1977) theory of self-efficacy. Path analysis techniques were employed to investigate the predictions based on Bandura's model of self-efficacy, along with the additional influence of autonomic perception on the approach/avoidance behavior of female college students (N = 80) attempting a modified-back dive. The Bandura model predicted a reciprocal relationship between self-efficacy and back-diving performance, and between self-efficacy and physiological arousal (heart rate). It was also predicted that autonomic perception was a better predictor of self-efficacy than was physiological arousal, but not better than previous back-diving performance. Additionally, self-efficacy was hypothesized to be the mediator of past performance accomplishments, physiological arousal, and autonomic perception on back-diving performance. Bandura's model was tested against a “full” model that included performance, autonomic perception, and actual physiological arousal, along with self-efficacy as direct causal influences of back-diving performance. Results provided greater support for the full model. Although one's self-efficacy was the major predictor of performance on Trial 1, subjects' heart rates also significantly predicted performance on Trial 1. After Trial 1, back-diving performance on a previous trial was the major predictor of performance on the next trial. Furthermore, one's perception of autonomic arousal was a significant influence on self-efficacy but not on performance. Previous back-diving performance, however, was a better predictor of self-efficacy than autonomic perception. No reciprocal relationship was found between self-efficacy and physiological arousal. Moreover, the full model explained more performance variance than did the Bandura model.

Cardiovascular Perception and Voluntary Control of Heart Rate

From 519 participants administered the cardiovascular functioning items of the Autonomic Perception Questionnaire, 42 were chosen and divided into groups low, middle, or high in perception based on the total score. Each participant was given six 2-min. trials during which they were to raise or lower heart rate. The short version of the questionnaire did not predict ability to control heart rate. However, the three groups were able to increase and decrease heart rate on command.