The effect of chronic anxiety level upon self control of heart rate

A sample of 90 subjects were rated on the IPAT anxiety scale and 5 subjects (3 male and 2 female) per group were selected from each of the high and low anxiety categories. All subjects were naive participants in heart rate biofeedback sessions utilising analogue visual feedback. Following a heart rate baseline (no feedback) session, all subjects were required to raise their heart rate and lower their heart rate in two separate trials, a visual "target" criteria being provided. The data collected consisted of a resting baseline heart rate value, mean heart rate increase, and mean heart decrease values expressed as beats per minute. Results indicated a marked ability for highly anxious subjects to self-induce heart rate increases only and for low anxious subjects to decrease their heart rate only.