Broman-Fulks Joshua J, Berman Mitchell E, Martin H Marty, Marsic Angelica, Harris Jessica A
Department of Psychology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA.
Depress Anxiety. 2009;26(1):E1-9. doi: 10.1002/da.20436.
Repeated administration of anxiety sensitivity measures can often produce declining scores, even in ostensible control groups, which is a significant concern for researchers. The reasons for these changes are as yet unknown, but could be because of regression to the mean in samples selected on extreme scores, exposure to general information about anxiety contained in psychiatric interviews, or mere exposure to anxiety sensitivity information.
This study sought to experimentally evaluate these potential explanations using a comprehensive measure of anxiety sensitivity and its subcomponents, a non-anxiety sensitivity measure (self-esteem), and participants representing the full spectrum of anxiety sensitivity.
Results indicated significant decreases in anxiety sensitivity scores (but not self-esteem scores) that could not be accounted for by regression to the mean or exposure to information about anxiety in general.
Several potential explanations for these findings are reviewed and implications for research study designs are discussed.
即使在表面上的对照组中，反复进行焦虑敏感性测量往往也会导致分数下降，这是研究人员非常关注的问题。这些变化的原因尚不清楚，但可能是由于在基于极端分数选择的样本中均值回归、接触精神科访谈中包含的关于焦虑的一般信息，或者仅仅是接触焦虑敏感性信息。
本研究试图通过使用焦虑敏感性及其子成分的综合测量、非焦虑敏感性测量（自尊）以及代表焦虑敏感性全谱的参与者，对这些潜在解释进行实验评估。
结果表明，焦虑敏感性分数显著下降（但自尊分数未下降），这无法用均值回归或接触一般焦虑信息来解释。
对这些发现的几种潜在解释进行了综述，并讨论了对研究设计的影响。
