Evaluation of a brief aerobic exercise intervention for high anxiety sensitivity

Abstract

Anxiety sensitivity, or the belief that anxiety-related sensations can have negative consequences, has been shown to play an important role in the etiology and maintenance of panic disorder and other anxiety-related pathology. Aerobic exercise involves exposure to physiological cues similar to those experienced during anxiety reactions. The present study sought to investigate the efficacy of a brief aerobic exercise intervention for high anxiety sensitivity. Accordingly, 24 participants with high anxiety sensitivity scores (Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised scores >28) were randomly assigned to complete either six 20-minute sessions of aerobic exercise or a no-exercise control condition. The results indicated that individuals assigned to the aerobic exercise condition reported significantly less anxiety sensitivity subsequent to exercise, whereas anxiety sensitivity scores among non-exercisers did not significantly change. The clinical research and public health implications of these findings are discussed, and several potential directions for additional research are recommended.

Keywords:

• Anxiety sensitivity
• exercise
• panic
• aerobic
• anxiety

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Bunmi Olatunji, Carmen Bondy, Angelica Marsic, Jessica Harris, Jennie Bollinger, Lindsey Helden, and David Naff for their assistance with this study.