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Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings

Published in:

01-03-2011

Response to Induced Relaxation During Pregnancy: Comparison of Women with High Versus Low Levels of Anxiety

Authors: Judith Alder, Corinne Urech, Nadine Fink, Johannes Bitzer, Irene Hoesli

Published in: Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings | Issue 1/2011

Abstract

Relaxation exercises have become a standard intervention for individuals with anxiety disorders but little is known about their potential for anxiety relief during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to examine psychoendocrine (i) baseline differences and (ii) changes after a standardized relaxation period in pregnant women with high versus low levels of anxiety. Thirty-nine third-trimester high and low anxious pregnant women performed active or passive relaxation while levels of anxiety, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) system activity were assessed before and after the relaxation period. In women with high levels of trait anxiety, state anxiety (F(1,36) = 8.3, p = .007) and negative affect (F(1,36) = 7.99, p = .008) as well as ACTH (F(1,35) = 9.24, p = .002) remained elevated over the entire course of the experimental procedure, the last indicating increased HPA axis activity. In addition, norepinephrine showed a constricted decrease of relaxation reflecting lower response of the SAM-system (F(1,37) = 4.41, p = .043). Although relaxation exercises have become a standard intervention for individuals with anxiety, pregnant women with high levels of trait anxiety benefited less than women with low levels from a single standardized relaxation period.

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Title: Response to Induced Relaxation During Pregnancy: Comparison of Women with High Versus Low Levels of Anxiety
Authors: Judith Alder
Corinne Urech
Nadine Fink
Johannes Bitzer
Irene Hoesli
Publication date: 01-03-2011
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings / Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 1068-9583
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3572
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-010-9218-z

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Response to Induced Relaxation During Pregnancy: Comparison of Women with High Versus Low Levels of Anxiety

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