Relaxation-induced anxiety: Mechanisms and theoretical implications

Heide, F. Jackie June ter; Borkovec, Thomas D.

doi:10.1016/0005-7967(84)90027-5

Cited by 135 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…However, we found little evidence of different reactions to the breathing instructions among the three groups: There was only one interaction involving group, which was caused by self-reported tension increasing during the baseline relaxation condition in the PD group and decreasing in the tense group. One explanation for the increase in tension in the PD group may be that our PD patients perceived relaxation as dangerous and anxiety provoking (e.g., Heide & Borkovec, 1983;Heide & Borkovec, 1984). According to the suffocation false alarm theory (Klein, 1993), rising pCO 2 during relaxation could induce panic anxiety in PD patients and might lead to compensatory hyperventilation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Psychophysiological Effects of Breathing Instructions for Stress Management

Conrad

Müller

Doberenz

et al. 2007

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Stressed and tense individuals often are recommended to change the way they breathe. However, psychophysiological effects of breathing instructions on respiration are rarely measured. We tested the immediate effects of short and simple breathing instructions in 13 people seeking treatment for panic disorder, 15 people complaining of daily tension, and 15 controls. Participants underwent a 3-hour laboratory session during which instructions to direct attention to breathing and anti-hyperventilation instructions to breathe more slowly, shallowly, or both were given. Respiratory, cardiac, and electrodermal measures were recorded. The anti-hyperventilation instructions failed to raise end-tidal pCO(2) above initial baseline levels for any of the groups because changes in respiratory rate were compensated for by changes in tidal volume and vice versa. Paying attention to breathing significantly reduced respiratory rate and decreased tidal volume instability compared to the other instructions. Shallow breathing made all groups more anxious than did other instructions. Heart rate and skin conductance were not differentially affected by instructions. We conclude that simple and short instructions to alter breathing do not change respiratory or autonomic measures in the direction of relaxation, except for attention to breathing, which increases respiratory stability. To understand the results of breathing instructions for stress and anxiety management, respiration needs to be monitored physiologically.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Psychophysiological Effects of Breathing Instructions for Stress Management

Conrad

Müller

Doberenz

et al. 2007

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Such a distinction could, however, help identify differences in epidemological and cognitive risk factors as well as have important treatment, prognostic, and theoretical implications. For example, Heide and Borkovec (1983) reviewed the data in support of and maintance of anxiety states. Briefly, these researchers suggested that it may be fear of somatic anxiety cues and loss of control that form the basic core of chronic anxiety problems.…”

Section: Generalized Anxiety Disordermentioning

confidence: 98%

Issues in diagnosing anxiety disorders

Cerny

Himadi

Barlow

1984

Journal of Behavioral Assessment

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research progress in the anxiety disorders is predicated on a useful classification system. In this paper, we review the reliability and validity data for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, anxiety disorders and discuss the salient issues associated with both the conceptualization of anxiety disorders and the diagnostic criteria offered in the DSM-III. It is concluded that the diagnostic reliability for these disorders is, overall, satisfactory. A dearth of validity data, however, hinders progress in both the diagnosis and the treatment of the anxiety disorders.Nevertheless, the DSM-11I work group has proposed several changes in the diagnostic criteria for the anxiety disorders. We find some of these proposed changes helpful in that they clarify current diagnostic criteria; changes in diagnostic criteria that alter the basic classification schema, however, seem to be premature.

show abstract

“…Participants completed the Reactions to Relaxation and Arousal Questionnaire (Heide & Borkovec, 1983), a 9-item measure of fear of losing control and of letting go (Cronbach's a = 0.90 in our study). High RRAQ scores have been associated with reported difficulty during relaxation training sessions (Borkovec & Costello, 1993;Borkovec & Mathews, 1988) and RRAQ decreases have been found in active ingredient treatment conditions for generalized anxiety disorder (Borkovec & Costello, 1993;Borkovec, Newman, Pincus, & Lytle, 2002).…”

Section: Distress About Relaxationmentioning

confidence: 99%