title: Can different types of anxiety states be differentiated electrodermally?
abstract: Increased electrodermal spontaneous fluctuation and decreased skin conductance OR recovery time were related to short duration increases in test anxiety. These electrodermal indices were unrelated to long-term worry associated with an impending stressful event. Amplitudes of responses were not related to short-term (or test) anxiety. Amplitude of the startle response was found to increase over a period of one week, as anxiety provoking events approached, where the subjects were in a position of helplessness. However, when an effective coping was subjectively perceived, 'startle response' appeared to be 'inhibited' to a significant degree. Amplitude of startle response may be a useful index for monitoring subjective 'worry' versus 'coping'.
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*