The role of worry and verbal-linguistic mentation in cardiovascular reactivity to a mental arithmetic stressor

Abstract

The current study sampled mentation during three counterbalanced mentation conditions: Relaxation, Worry, and Verbal-Linguistic Mentation. Each experimental condition was followed by a brief serial subtraction stressor period. Cardiovascular measures were taken both prior and during the stressor periods. It was hypothesized that the Worry and Verbal-Linguistic Mentation conditions would be characterized by significantly more verbal-linguistic mental activity. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that participants would show significantly decreased cardiovascular reactivity to stress following the Worry and Verbal-Linguistic Mentation conditions. Although no evidence of inhibited cardiovascular reactivity was observed during the stressor, the Worry and Verbal-Linguistic Mentation conditions were associated with increased cardiovascular reactivity to stress. It was suggested that this finding reflects the fact that the current study used an in vivo stressor in contrast to previous investigations that had used imaginal stressors. The implications of this finding for several models of worry were discussed.

Key Words:

• Worry
• Anxiety
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Somatic anxiety