Psychological responses to body shape exposure in patients with bulimia nervosa.

in Behaviour research and therapy (2003), 41

One of the unresolved issues regarding research on bulimia nervosa concerns the question as to how patients diagnosed with bulimia nervosa respond to body image exposure. In addition, it remains unclear ... [more ▼]

One of the unresolved issues regarding research on bulimia nervosa concerns the question as to how patients diagnosed with bulimia nervosa respond to body image exposure. In addition, it remains unclear whether there are differential responses associated with different exposure techniques (e.g. in vivo exposure vs. exposure by visualization). The aim of the present study was to investigate psychological responses to body image exposure. Twenty participants diagnosed with bulimia nervosa (DSM IV) and twenty non-eating disordered individuals were exposed to their body image using a video recording (video confrontation). In addition, they were asked to imagine and describe the appearance of their body (imagery task). Results indicate that self-reported negative emotions increased in response to both, video confrontation and imagery task, in the clinical as well as in the control group. Furthermore, video confrontation led to more pronounced group differences than exposure by visualization (imagery task). Participants diagnosed with bulimia nervosa took less time to describe their waist, hips and bottom compared to non-eating disturbed controls. This last result could be interpreted in terms of avoidance behavior and other mechanisms during body image exposure. [less ▲]

Körpergewicht und Gewichtsregulation

in Schwarzer, R.; Jerusalem, M.; Weber, H. (Eds.) Gesundheitspsychologie von A bis Z (2002)

Psychosomatic pathways to essential hypertension: the combined effect of anger and family history of cardiovascular disorders on cardiovascular reactivity

in Excerpta Medica International Congress Series1241 (2002)

Previous results from our laboratory suggest a combined effect of anger-suppression and family history of cardiovascular disorders in determining cardiovascular responses to mental stress. The present ... [more ▼]

Previous results from our laboratory suggest a combined effect of anger-suppression and family history of cardiovascular disorders in determining cardiovascular responses to mental stress. The present study was designed to determine the effect sizes in cardiovascular reactivity associated with biological risk, psychological risk and the combination of these risk factors using meta-analytical techniques. Results from three independent studies with almost identical experimental procedures provided the basis for the calculation of d, the difference between the means of two groups, divided by the pooled within-group standard deviation. Effect sizes were calculated for the comparison of high versus low biological hypertension risk, high versus low anger suppression, and high versus low combined risk. The results show the largest effect sizes for the comparison of high versus low combined risk. The effect sizes associated with the combination of risk factors were larger than the sum of the effect sizes associated with either factor alone. We conclude that the combination of biological and psychological risk factors in determining cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress is more than the sum of its parts. These findings are discussed in terms of a better understanding of the over-additive effects of multiple cardiovascular risk factors on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. [less ▲]

Psychophysiological effects of relaxation training in children

in British Journal of Health Psychology (2001), 6

OBJECTIVES: This study compares the effects of progressive muscle relaxation and an imagery-based relaxation training on childrens' physiological and subjective responses in a randomized controlled trial ... [more ▼]

OBJECTIVES: This study compares the effects of progressive muscle relaxation and an imagery-based relaxation training on childrens' physiological and subjective responses in a randomized controlled trial. DESIGN: Sixty-four children aged 9 to 13 years were randomly allocated to either one of three experimental conditions: progressive muscle relaxation, imagery-based relaxation or a control condition (neutral story). There were five training sessions in each condition. METHOD: Heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL), and skin temperature (ST) were measured continuously during a 5-minute baseline period, an 8-minute relaxation training period, and a 5-minute follow-up in each session. In addition, subjective ratings of mood and physical well-being were collected intermittently. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A physiological pattern indicating relaxation was most clearly associated with the imagery-based relaxation approach (decreases in HR and SCL), although ST remained unchanged. In contrast, progressive muscle relaxation led to an increase in HR during the training. The neutral story condition showed a similar trend as the imagery-based relaxation approach (although not reaching statistical significance). Furthermore, children's ratings of positive mood and physical wellbeing increased during baseline and training periods, but there were no differences between training conditions. The results indicate psychophysiological effects of relaxation instructions which, however, are not specific for systematic relaxation training. [less ▲]

Surgery and stress

in Fink, G. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of stress (2000)

Bewegung

in Das OPTIFAST TM 52-Programm. Allgemeines Handbuch (1999)

Kardiovaskuläre Reaktivität und die Entwicklung der essentiellen Hypertonie

in Verhaltensmodifikation und Verhaltensmedizin (1999), (20), 321-342

Psychophysiological experiments show large individual differences in physiological reactivity to mental stress. Hyperreactivity refers to the propensity for an individual to exhibit increased ... [more ▼]

Psychophysiological experiments show large individual differences in physiological reactivity to mental stress. Hyperreactivity refers to the propensity for an individual to exhibit increased cardiovascular activity during exposure to external stimuli when compared to controls. Essential hypertensives show cardiovascular hyperreactivity that is not reflected in electrodermal or respiratory activity. This result indicates that cardiovascular reactivity could be an important component in the development of essential hypertension. This article provides an overview of conceptual issues and empirical findings concerning the role of cardiovascular reactivity and the development of essential hypertension. [less ▲]

Streß und Streßbewältigung

in Flor, H.; Birbaumer, N.; Hahlweg, K. (Eds.) Enzyklopädie der Psychologie, 3 (1999)

Serum lipid concentrations, hostility, and cardiovascular reactions to mental stress

in International Journal of Psychophysiology (1998), 28

The objective of the present study was to determine whether serum lipid concentrations interact with hostility to affect cardiovascular responses to mental stress. One-hundred and seventy-four male ... [more ▼]

The objective of the present study was to determine whether serum lipid concentrations interact with hostility to affect cardiovascular responses to mental stress. One-hundred and seventy-four male subjects were screened with the Cook and Medley hostility scale (Ho), the anger expression inventory by Spielberger and a general health questionnaire. Subjects in the upper (n = 22) and lower (n = 22) quartile of the Ho score distribution were asked to take part in a laboratory experiment. Continuous measures of heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and electrodermal activity were taken while participants carried out a series of behavioral maneuvres, including mental arithmetic and mirror star tracing. Prior to the experiment fasting blood samples were taken for lipid determinations. The results show higher heart rate reactivity in high hostile than low hostile subjects. High hostile subjects also reported more anger and frustration in response to tasks. Hostility groups differed in lipid levels in that high hostiles had higher triglyceride and VLDL-c concentrations than low hostiles. Cholesterol levels showed an inverse association with cardiovascular reactivity but only in low hostile subjects. No such associations could be found in high hostiles. We conclude that there is partial support for both, the hyperreactivity and the health behavior model linking hostility and cardiovascular disorder. [less ▲]

Die Interozeption körperlicher Empfindungen bei somatoform gestörten Patienten

in Margraf, J.; Neumer, S.; Rief, W. (Eds.) Somatoforme Störungen: Ätiologie, Diagnose und Therapie (1998)