The facilitative effects of heart-rate feedback in the emotional processing of claustrophobic fear.
This study examines predictions derived from Foa and Kozak's theory of emotional processing. We hypothesized that the provision of heart-rate feedback would facilitate emotional processing through a fuller activation of the participant's fear structure, and by focusing participants' attention on information that is incompatible with the fear structure, i.e., the interoceptive pattern of habituation. Nonclinical students (N = 54) showing marked claustrophobic fear received 30 min of self-directed exposure to a claustrophobic chamber. Three exposure conditions (heart-rate feedback, paced-tone control, and exposure only control) were examined across six 5-min exposure trials. Participants receiving heart-rate feedback displayed greater between-trial habituation across treatment trials and lower levels of fear at post-treatment. Treatment process findings failed to support the fear activation hypothesis. Implications of the findings for theories of fear reduction are discussed.
Telch
M J
MJ
University of Texas at Austin 78712, USA. telch@psy.utexas.edu
Valentiner
D P
DP
Ilai
D
D
Petruzzi
D
D
Hehmsoth
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales