title: Anxiety induced by simulated public speaking and stroop color word test in healthy subjects: effects of different trait-anxiety levels.
abstract: 1. The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of two anxiety-inducing tests, simulated public speaking (SPS) and the stroop color word test (SCWT), in healthy subjects with different trait-anxiety levels. 2. The mean (+/- SD) trait-anxiety score of 524 university students, measured by Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), was 40.8 +/- 8.9. Based on these scores, 26 students from our sample were divided into low (score less than 1 SD from the mean, N = 10), medium (score between -1 and +1 SD from the mean, N = 7) and high (score more than 1 SD from the mean, N = 9) trait anxiety. 3. Each subject was submitted to the SPS and SCWT tests in the same experimental session. The sequence of test presentation was randomized between subjects. No effect of test order presentation was found. 4. SPS induced significant increases in the anxiety factor of Norris' visual analogue mood scale (VAMS) in all groups, without difference between them. The SCWT, on the other hand, did not induce an increase in subjective anxiety in any group. In the high trait group, however, there was a general increase in anxiety feelings that was evident even before the test, and might have been caused by the presence of the experimenter. 5. The results suggest that SPS is a more effective anxiety-inducing test, and is not dependent on previous trait-anxiety levels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neuropsiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Zuardi
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D003119:Color Perception Tests; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013060:Speech; D013732:Test Anxiety Scale