Volume 13, Issue 2 (1-2019)                   bjcp 2019, 13(2): 89-98 | Back to browse issues page

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The Effect Of Worry on Physiological and Emotional Response to Emotional Stimuli in Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Normal People
Fatemeh Bita * 1, Norollah Mohammadi2 , Mohammadreza Taghavi3 , Changiz Rahimi3
1- M.Sc., Shiraz University Faculty of Education and Psychology Department of Clinical Psychology , bita.fateme@yahoo.com
2- Associate Professor, Shiraz University Faculty of Education and Psychology Department of Clinical Psychology
3- Professor, Shiraz University Faculty of Education and Psychology Department of Clinical Psychology
Abstract:   (5175 Views)
This study aims to examine the effect of worry on physiological and emotional response to negative emotional stimuli in patients with generalized anxiety disorder and normal individuals.
This study was a semi-experimental research with pretest, post-test and control group. The experimental group included 41 participants with generalized anxiety disorder (21 in the group of relaxation induction and 20 in the group of worry induction) and 39 normal participants (19 in the group of relaxation induction and 20 in the group of worry induction). In this study, the participants were exposed to scary and sad movies films after induction of worry or relaxation and their reaction were assessed by positive and negetive affect questionnaire and the pulse oximetery equipment.
The results showed that worry induction leads to decrease in heart rate and negative affect when faceing scary films. However relaxation induction leads to increase in negative affect in response to watching sad and scary clips (negative contrast avoidance). Aditionally worry led to more decrease in heart rate in response to scary films in GAD group (vs. normal group). It may concluded that worry facilitates avoidance of negative emotions processing by theway of preventing a negative emotional contrast.
Keywords: worry, generalized anxiety disorder, emotional contrast, negetive affect, heart rate
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2015/07/23 | Revised: 2020/04/26 | Accepted: 2018/10/23 | Published: 2019/12/1
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