Trajectories of anxiety symptoms in adolescents: Testing the model of emotional inertia
Background/Objective: Two predictions derived from a recently introduced model of psy chotherapy outcome were tested, assuming the dynamical relationship between the individual's emotional trajectory and the force of intervention necessary to change this trajectory: (a) only a high intensity tr...
| Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | article |
| Publication Date: | 2017 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Conselleria de Salut i Consum del Govern de les Illes Balears |
| Repository: | Docusalut |
| Language: | English |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:docusalut.com:20.500.13003/10945 |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13003/10945 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Trajectory Anxiety Emotional inertia Treatment energy Ex post facto study |
| Summary: | Background/Objective: Two predictions derived from a recently introduced model of psy chotherapy outcome were tested, assuming the dynamical relationship between the individual's emotional trajectory and the force of intervention necessary to change this trajectory: (a) only a high intensity treatment would succeed to lower the increasing trajectory of anxiety, and (b) high as well as low intensity treatments would equivalently lower the non -increasing trajectory of anxiety. Methods: Seventy-four adolescents (58.40% girls; M = 14.65 years, SD= 0.53) were randomly assigned to a high intensity treatment condition, a low intensity treatment condition, or a waiting list condition. Results: Only the high intensity treatment reduced the anxiety when participants showed an increasing trajectory (p < .01). None of the treatments reduced anxiety when a previously non -increasing trajectory was shown. Conclusions: These findings support the theoretical predictions and underscore the need to consider not only how severe the anxiety is but also the time course of anxiety in applied treatment settings. |
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