Alexithymia determines the anxiety experienced in skydiving.
BACKGROUND
High-risk activities have typically been explored within a sensation seeking framework. They may, however, allow those with emotional difficulties to experience and regulate their emotions.


METHODS
Skydivers (n=87) completed anxiety and heart rate data four times on a single day before and after a skydive.


RESULTS
A 2 (group: alexithymic; non alexithymic) x 4 (time) ANOVA with repeated measures on the second factor revealed a significant alexithymia x time interaction, F(2.27, 192.60)=45.48, p<.001, eta(2)=.35. Anxiety fluctuated significantly more for alexithymic skydivers than it did for their non alexithymic counterparts. This interaction was not mirrored by heart rate. The relationship between alexithymia and anxiety remained significant when accounting for sensation seeking.


CONCLUSIONS
The results leave open interpretations that are based on anhedonia, which was not controlled for.


CONCLUSIONS
Alexithymic individuals may find, in the high-risk domain, an environment that satisfies their emotion regulation needs.
Woodman
Tim
T
School of Sport, Health, and Exercise Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd LL57 2DG, UK. t.woodman@bangor.ac.uk
Huggins
Michelle
M
Le Scanff
Christine
C
Cazenave
Nicolas
N
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001359:Aviation; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013177:Sports