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Response to induced relaxation during pregnancy : comparison of women with high versus low levels of anxiety

Alder, Judith and Urech, Corinne and Fink, Nadine and Bitzer, Johannes and Hoesli, Irene. (2011) Response to induced relaxation during pregnancy : comparison of women with high versus low levels of anxiety. Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings, Vol. 18, H. 1. pp. 13-21.

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Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A6003347

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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.
Faculties and Departments:03 Faculty of Medicine > Bereich Spezialfächer (Klinik) > Ehemalige Einheiten Spezialfächer (Klinik) > Geburtshilfliche und Gynäkologische Psychosomatik (Bitzer)
03 Faculty of Medicine > Departement Klinische Forschung > Bereich Spezialfächer (Klinik) > Ehemalige Einheiten Spezialfächer (Klinik) > Geburtshilfliche und Gynäkologische Psychosomatik (Bitzer)
03 Faculty of Medicine > Bereich Spezialfächer (Klinik) > Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe > Geburtshilfe (Hösli-Krais)
03 Faculty of Medicine > Departement Klinische Forschung > Bereich Spezialfächer (Klinik) > Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe > Geburtshilfe (Hösli-Krais)
UniBasel Contributors:Bitzer, Johannes and Hösli-Krais, Irene M.
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:Plenum Press
ISSN:1068-9583
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Identification Number:
Last Modified:13 Sep 2013 07:59
Deposited On:13 Sep 2013 07:48

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