Reducing the Meta-Emotional Problem Decreases Physiological Fear Response during Exposure in Phobics

Frontiers in Psychology

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关键词: specific phobia;    meta-emotional problem;    double standard;    phobic stimuli;    heart rate;    heart rate variability;    autonomic nervous system;    self-criticism;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01105

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Anxiety disorders may not only be characterized by specific symptomatology (e.g., tachycardia) in response to the fearful stimulus (primary problem or first-level emotion) but also by the tendency to negatively evaluate oneself for having those symptoms (secondary problem or negative meta-emotion). An exploratory study was conducted driven by the hypothesis that reducing the secondary or meta-emotional problem would also diminish the fear response to the phobic stimulus. Thirty-three phobic participants were exposed to the phobic target before and after undergoing a psychotherapeutic intervention addressed to reduce the meta-emotional problem or a control condition. The electrocardiogram was continuously recorded to derive heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) and affect ratings were obtained. Addressing the meta-emotional problem had the effect of reducing the physiological but not the subjective symptoms of anxiety after phobic exposure. Preliminary findings support the role of the meta-emotional problem in the maintenance of response to the fearful stimulus (primary problem).

【 授权许可】

CC BY