Showing papers on "Somatic anxiety published in 1987"

Markers for vulnerability to psychopathology: Temperament traits associated with platelet MAO activity

Abstract: The functional linkage between platelet MAO activity and psychopathology was explored by analyzing temperamental correlates in 40 male subjects by means of scales from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), the Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Inventory, and the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). Linear correlations were found with two sensation seeking scales, replicating earlier findings. However, nonlinear correlations predominated. Subjects with intermediate platelet MAO activity had higher scores in conformity scales and lower scores in anxiety and hostility scales than low and high MAO subgroups. Low MAO subjects showed a pattern of higher scores in KSP Impulsiveness, EPQ Neuroticism, and KSP Somatic Anxiety and Irritability and lower scores in KSP Socialization, in line with personality profiles found in alcoholics, psychopaths, and suicide attempters who also tend to have low platelet MAO activity. High MAO subjects scored lower in sensation seeking and conformity scales and higher in KSP Psychasthenia, Muscular Tension and Suspicion scales, consistent with clinical links between high platelet MAO activity and anxiety and paranoia.

Personality traits in subtypes of alcoholics

Abstract: Earlier studies have identified at least two distinct subgroups of alcoholics: Type II with early onset and high genetic loading and Type I with late onset in which genetic factors seem to be of minor importance. In the present study, type I and type II alcoholics are compared on stable personality traits determined by the Karolinska Scales of Personality. Both groups were found to have high scores on scales that measured somatic anxiety, psychic anxiety, muscular tension, impulsiveness, detachment, psychastenia, suspicion, guilt and inhibition of aggression. Both groups had low scores on the scale that measured socialization. Type II alcoholics had significantly higher scores than type I alcoholics on Somatic Anxiety and Verbal Aggression scales and significantly lower scores on Socialization and Inhibition of Aggression scales. On the Impulsive Sensation-Seeking Psychopathy factor (Impulsiveness + Monotony Avoidance - Socialization), type II alcoholics were significantly differentiated from both type I alcoholics and healthy volunteers. Results of this study were consistent with those of other studies indicating that alcoholism accompanied by antisocial behavior should be kept separate from alcoholism that is unrelated to antisocial behavior.

Predicting athletic performance with self-confidence and somatic and cognitive anxiety as a function of motor and physiological requirements in six sports.

Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to examine the ability of certain psychological attributes to predict performance in six National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate sports. Eighty-four athletes from the varsity sports teams of cross country running, alpine and nordic skiing, tennis, basketball, and track and field at the University of Colorado completed a questionnaire adapted from Martens (1977; Martens et al., 1983) that measured their trait levels of self-confidence (Bandura, 1977), somatic anxiety, and cognitive anxiety (Martens, 1977; Martens et al., 1983). In addition, at three to six competitions during the season, the members of the cross country running and tennis teams filled out a state measure (Martens et al., 1983) of the three attributes from one to two hours prior to the competition. Following each competition, subjective and objective ratings of performance were obtained, and, for all sports, coaches' ratings of performance and an overall seasonal team ranking were determined as seasonal performance measures. The sports were dichotomized along motor and physiological dimensions. Results indicate that all three psychological attributes were significant predictors of performance in both fine motor, anaerobic sports and gross motor, aerobic sports. Further, clear differences in these relationships emerged as a function of the dichotomization. In addition, unexpected sex differences emerged. The findings are discussed relative to prior research and their implications for future research.

Temporal changes in psychological and physiological components of state anxiety.

Abstract: This study examined the relationships of cognitive worry, somatic anxiety, and self-confidence—all components of the CSAI-2 (Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2)—to each other, to physiological measures, and to motor performance prior to, during, and after competition In addition, the prediction that only somatic anxiety increases prior to competition was examined Forty-one undergraduate males competed in a motor task while the experimenter monitored heart rate and blood pressure responses Each subject competed against a confederate for 10 experimental trials and completed the CSAI-2 prior to, during, and after the competition The results confirmed the multidimensional nature of the state anxiety construct and provided evidence for the independence of cognitive worry and somatic anxiety However, both dimensions followed similar temporal patterns prior to and during competition Finally, the results confirmed the nonsignificant relationship between psychological and physiological measures of anxiety

The cognitive-somatic anxiety questionnaire: Psychometric and validity data

Abstract: The Cognitive-Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire (CSAQ) is a 14-item self-report inventory that is divided into two 7-item scales (Cognitive and Somatic) that appear to reflect cognitive or somatic anxiety. In an attempt to evaluate the construct validity of this multidimensional instrument, the CSAQ was administered to 109 college students along with several other measures of physical and psychological symptoms. The results suggest that (a) despite considerable overlap between the Cognitive and the Somatic scales (r=.62), an exploratory factor analysis is able to identify a single large somatic factor along with three lesser cognitive-appearing factors, and (b) the correlations with concurrent measures of related constructs provide some limited evidence of the construct validity of the CSAQ. For males, both the Cognitive and the Somatic scales of the CSAQ correlated significantly with several anxietyrelated measures. However, for females CSAQ scores correlated less consistently with the other test scales, although Somatic scale scores for females were positively related to measures of health and exercise involvement. Suggestions for improving the CSAQ are offered.

The Differential Effects of Progressive Relaxation and Imagery on Anxiety.

Abstract: The aim of this research was to compare the effects of progressive relaxation and imagery on stress levels. High and low anxiety subjects were selected on the basis of scores on the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory, and were randomly assigned to Progressive Relaxation or Cognitive Imagery treatment conditions. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between treatment conditions: both treatment groups significantly reduced cognitive anxiety scores Ip < .007) from pre- to posttreatment. The analysis of anxiety scores indicated that high anxious subjects significantly decreased their trait anxiety scores (p < .0003) and somatic anxiety scores ip < .02) while low anxious subjects increased their trait anxiety scores (p