The effect of emotional experiences induction in adolescent's cardiovascular reactions with regard to state/ trait anxiety dimensions

The research results of recent decades of health psychology show that psychological state affects biological mechanisms. The aim of present study was to assess the effects of positive and negative emotional experiences induction in adolescent’s cardiovascular reactions with regard to the moderating role of state/ trait anxiety dimensions. From a large population of adolescents based on the extreme scores of state- trait anxiety distribution and inclusion criteria four groups (high stat anxiety, low stat anxiety, high trait anxiety and low trait anxiety) were selected and their cardiac indices including systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were obtained in baseline (relaxed) state and following positive and negative emotional experiences induction. Data was analyzed using mixed analysis of variance. The result showed that in baseline, the systolic blood pressure of individuals with high trait anxiety characteristics is higher than individuals with low trait anxiety characteristics and the diastolic blood pressure of individuals with high trait anxiety characteristics is higher than individuals with low stat anxiety characteristics. The induction of positive emotional experiences led to significant reduction in systolic blood pressure of individuals with low trait and stat anxiety characteristics in comparison with individuals with high trait anxiety characteristics. The induction of negative emotional experiences led to significant increase in systolic blood pressure of individuals with high trait anxiety characteristics in comparison with individuals with low trait and state anxiety characteristics and diastolic blood pressure of individuals with high state anxiety characteristics in comparison with individuals with low state anxiety characteristics. The findings support the model of psychosomatic disorders and the role of anxiety, mood states and emotional experiences in cardiovascular reactions.