DI Please do not remove from table

D I Please do not remove from table

Blanchard, Eisele, Gordan, Cornish, and Gilmore

156

bility of ABPs may reduce the absolute number of monitoring occasions needed before an accurate BP profile can be established for an individual.

The Relationship Between 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressures and Blood Pressures obtained During Laboratory Stressors Peter 1. Cornish 1 and Edward B. Blanchard, University of Albany-SUNY Correlational analyses were performed in order to examine the rela­ tionship between ambulatory blood pressures (ABPs) and blood pressures obtained during laboratory stressors. Thirty normotensives (15 males/15 fe­ males) wore an ABP monitor (Spacelabs model No. 90202) on three oc­ casions scheduled one week apart and were asked to record their location, postural position, and activity each time the monitor recorded an ABP (30­ min intervals). During the week between the first and second monitoring, all subjects underwent a psychophysiological assessment consisting of the cold pressor test (2 min), mental arithmetic (3 min), orthostatic response (sitting to standing), and a treadmill exercise (5 min). Each of these stres­ sors were separated by a lO-min baseline phase. The laboratory stressors were found to significantly raise SBP, DBP, and HR over baseline values. Males were found to have significantly higher baseline SBP (approx. 8 mm Hg higher) than femates, whereas DBP and HR were comparable across gender. Both males and females responded equally to the stressors. Sub­ jects with and without a history of familial hypertension did not significantly differ in their responses to the stressors, although those with a positive history had slightly higher (nonsignificant) baseline values. Correlations be­ tween the phases of the psychophysiological assessment and the ABPs were examined. Most of the correlation coefficients observed were significant (*p < .01, **p < .001).

Beselines 1-4 Mental arithmetic Cold pressor Orthostatic response Treadmill exercise

SBP

DBP

HR

.81 ** .55* .44* .67** .61 **

.71 ** .52* .32 .63** .53*

.89** .72** .69** .75** .65**

ICornrnunications shouJd be addressed 10 Peter J. Cornish, Ph.D., Center for Stress and Anxiely Disorders, 1535 Western Avenue, Albany, New York 12203.

Abstracts of Papers Presented at the 24th Annual Meeting

157

Although most of the BPs obtained during the laboratory stressors sig­ nificantly correlated with ABPs obtained during waking hours, these corre­ lations were relatively low (r = .44-.75). In fact, these correlations were no better, and somewhat lower, than the correlations found between baseline BPs and awake ABPs (r = .71-.89). Even when specific ABPs were chosen to correspond to the laboratory stressors, these correlations were no better than baseline comparisons. Additionally, variability in ABPs did not signifi­ cantly correlate with any measures of reactivity in the lab. Overall, it would appear that although significant relations exist between laboratory and field measures, they are weak and nonspecific. One must therefore use caution when using laboratory findings to describe reactions to "real world" events.

Biofeedback-Assisted Relaxation Training Within a Substance Abuse Program: A Comparison of Taped Versus Live Instructions Michael Jay Craw 1 and Frederick A. Newton, California State University San Bernardino Richard G. Newman, Loma Linda Veterans Administration Hospital Previous research has not clearly demonstrated the advantages or dis­ advantages of using taped or live instructions within the context of a bio­ feedback-assisted relaxation programo The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of taped versus live instructions using an audio only presentation format, or an audio/video presentation format. Fifty subjects from an inpatient alcohol treatment program were assigned to one of five groups (n = 10): A taped condition with audio instructions, a live condition with audio instructions, a taped condition with audio/video instructions, a live condition with audio/video instructions, and a no treatment control group. The four groups that received training showed significant reductions on measures of heart rate, galvanic skin response, self-report anxiety, and significant increases in peripheral finger temperature. There were no sig­ nificant decreases in frontalis EMG as a result of training. No differences were found between groups receiving taped versus live instructions, or audio versus audio/video instruction presentation. The results suggest that taped and live procedures are equivalent when differences in cognitive preparation and expectancy inherent in these procedures are controlled for between groups. The implications for substance abuse programs that utilize relaxation techniques are discussed. lCornrnunicalions should be addressed lo Michael Jay Craw, California School of Professiona! Psychology, 1000 Soulh Frernont Avenue, Alhambra, California 91803-1360.

158

Blanchard, Eisele, Gordan, Cornish, and Gilmore

The Psychophysiology oC Humor and Coping:

Incubation oC Threat, Depression, Tolerance oC DiscomCort,

and Computer Anxiety as a Function oC Humor

J Alexander Dale,l Mary A. Hudak, Herbert L. Klions, Nancy Yovetich, Amy Danzer, Deborah Hudak, Susan Emanuele, Pamela Karle, Allegheny College Douglas DeGood, University of Virginia Groups attending to humor were expected to cope with a stressor bet­ ter than groups attending to information. Five separate experiments involved an impending threat (n == 38), induced depression (n == 53), depressed ver­ sus asymptomatic subjects (n == 20), thresho!ds for discomfort from stimu­ latían by a TENS unit (n == 41), and the use of a computer for computer anxious (n == 20) versus nonanxious subjects (n == 20). Autonomic responses (heart-rate and skin conductance level), corrugation of the forehead, smiling (zygomatic responses), and observed facial actions were monitored. Evi­ dence (p < .05) was found for the humor's reduction of anxiety in impending shock, for humor's reduction of depression (personal and induced), and for humor's increasing tolerance of discomfort. Although the computer anxious subjects smiled at the humor, they indicated that they became more de­ pressed after the selection of humor problems than a simple anagram solving task. Therefore humor can be a powerful tool to modify negative emotions with the caveat that, in at least the extremely computer anxious, humor may increase rather than decrease negative emotionality.

Abslracls oC Papers Presenled al Ihe 2

agement with chronic disease in the World Health Organization' algesic (s.o.) had to be used on resources had been noneffective ited published information (e.g., ceiving analgesic for any type inpatient populations suggest th dictive behaviors. Continuing us in the development of an addicti role. Among them, emotional a predictor for c.p. patient's psych weight gain and dependence on prone toward addictive behavio relief from emotional distress. , and addi