Self-reported Worry Research Articles

Children's Emotional Reactions to a Scary Film The Role of Prior Outcome Information and Coping Style

An experiment examined the influence of happy outcome information and coping style on children's emotional responses to a frightening film sequence. Fourth and fifth graders viewed a program that included a threatening scene and a happy resolution. Before viewing, they heard an audiotaped introduction that either described the happy outcome or did not. Children's preferred coping style was classified as blunting or monitoring, using Miller's Child Behavioral Style Scale. Hypotheses were derived from theory and research on emotion, responses to suspense, and self-regulation processes. Consistent with expectations, prior knowledge of the happy outcome reduced self-reported fear and worry for Hunters but not for monitors. Regardless of coping style, outcome information reduced children's facial expressions of fear and increased positive affect during the conclusion of the show. Interpretations of the findings, as well as implications for understanding emotional responses to mass media, are discussed.

Mothers' knowledge of the risk factors and anxiety about SIDS.

To assess the impact on mothers' knowledge and anxiety of the 1991-92 health promotion campaign on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk factors. A telephone survey of a population based sample of 339 mothers in Victoria, Australia, conducted 1992-94. Recall by mothers of the risk factors for SIDS was as follows: not breast-feeding, 15%; smoking, 46%; overheating, 48%; and prone sleeping, 84%. Recall rate increased as the campaign progressed. Receiving the campaign pamphlet was associated with an increased recall of all risk factors. Discussion of the pamphlet with a health professional was rare (9%). One-third of all mothers reported being very worried about cot death when caring for their babies. Self-reported worry was significantly more common among mothers whose babies were born at the time of the campaign introduction. The campaign pamphlets were effective in increasing knowledge of the risk factors. The limited discussion with health professionals suggests that future campaigns need increased professional involvement to address problems, including anxiety among new mothers.

Self-report of obsessions and worry

The relationships between self-reported worry and obsessional-compulsive symptoms were examined among 145 hospital outpatients. Subjects completed the Penn State Worry Questionnaire and the Padua Inventory. Despite moderately strong correlations, the scales measured distinct constructs. Eliminating five items from the Padua Inventory may improve its discriminant validity. Correlations with the Padua Inventory subscales showed that obsessional loss of mental control was moderately correlated to both worry and checking, whereas worry and checking were only weakly correlated. The results are discussed in terms of possible relationships between worry and obsessions.

The relative effectiveness of cognitive restructuring and coping desensitization in the treatment of self-reported worry

This clinical outcome study compared two therapeutic methods for the reduction of self-reported worry with a placebo and waiting-list control. In cognitive restructuring, participants were trained to realistically reevaluate imaginally presented worry situations. In coping desensitization, participants were taught to use relaxation in response to worry images within a coping framework. Progressive relaxation alone was used as the placebo condition. On the basis of questionaire measures of anxiety and self-reported worry, greater anxiety and worry reductions were found in the cognitive restructuring group, followed by minimal changes in the coping densensitization group, and no changes in the placebo and waiting-list control. Subjects in the restructuring condition also reported significant increases in attention and decreases in frequency of thought intrusions.

Self-Reports of Soviet and American Children on Worry about the Threat of Nuclear War

Soviet and American early teens self-reported worries about on a questionnaire designed to disguise its intent. Soviet youth rated nuclear war as their greatest concern, with 89% indicating that they were very worried. American teens rated nuclear war second in intensity of concern to death of parent, with 39% very worried. A high proportion of both groups felt that nuclear war was preventable but affected their future plans. These results indicate that nuclear war is of great concern to youth in America and the Soviet Union. Cross-country comparisons were made on questionnaire responses and the implications of these results are discussed.

Endocrine, psychological and genital response to sexual arousal in men

The endocrine, genital, and cognitive-affective responses of sexually functional men were compared under sexually arousing and non-arousing conditions. Sexually aroused subjects showed significantly higher serum luteinizing hormone concentrations than non-aroused subjects. Testosterone concentration was correlated with higher levels of penile response, but it did not prime further sexual arousal. Cortisol and prolactin concentrations decreased in both groups, more in the non-aroused group, and appeared to both inhibit and facilitate sexual response, depending on the level of anxiety reported by the subjects. Cortisol was correlated with self-reported worry, and testosterone with relaxation. These results support a multidimensional approach to the endocrine study of sexual arousal that includes both cognitive and genital response components.

Medical students' self-reported worries about aspects of death and dying

Abstract Worries about four aspects of death and dying were elicited from a group of third year medical students. Using a reliable coding system devised by the authors these worries were categorized into types of worry. Different types of worry were shown to be associated with each aspect of death and dying. Being dead oneself was a source of few worries. One's own dying process was associated mainly with worries about pain. For the death of close other's the breaking of relationships was the most salient concern. The main worry expressed about interacting with a dying patient was the difficulty in communicating with them.