title: [Effects of attention shifting on inhibiting anxiety: a study on a therapeutic mechanism of reciprocal inhibition].
abstract: The purpose is to examine the effects of number-counting and attention paid to body parts as anxiety inhibiting responses in reciprocal inhibition. Subjects were thirty-three men and women, all complaining of anxiety. They were classified randomly, in the presence of anxiety-arousing stimuli, into three groups--(1) the number-counting groups, (2) the group paying attention to body parts, and (3) the control group--each group consisting of 11 people. After a week's training, the number-counting group showed a significant reduction in their subjective anxiety compared to the other two groups, making it clear that number-counting is effective in inhibiting anxiety. The groups paying attention to body parts showed no significant difference compared to the control group, however the former tended to reduce subjective anxiety. This suggests that the attention paid to body parts may be effective in inhibiting anxiety. In general, the present study suggests that the shift of attention serves as a factor in inhibiting anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Psychology and Counseling Service Center.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikezuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D011613:Psychotherapy