Worry: An electrocortical analysis

William R. Carter; Mark C. Johnson; Thomas D. Borkovec

doi:10.1016/0146-6402(86)90004-4

Worry: An electrocortical analysis

William R. Carter, Mark C. Johnson, Thomas D. Borkovec

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

74 Scopus citations

Abstract

Worry has been described as uncontrollable verbally-mediated analytic cognitive activity, or thoughts, concerning future events. To date, worry and the treatment of worry have been assessed primarily by self-report of cognitive activity. The current study assessed worriers and nonworriers during worry and a brief relaxation treatment using EEG alpha and beta measures. Worry was found to be associated with high, overall cortical activation as well as relatively greater left hemisphere activation. Progressive relaxation was associated with attenuation of worriers' left hemisphere asymmetric EEG activation. EEG alpha measures indicated less activation during and after progressive muscular relaxation than during a self-relaxation condition. Implications for theory and assessment of cognitive anxiety are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	193-204
Number of pages	12
Journal	Advances in Behaviour Research and Therapy
Volume	8
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-6402(86)90004-4
State	Published - 1986

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Psychiatry and Mental health

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10.1016/0146-6402(86)90004-4

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title = "Worry: An electrocortical analysis",

abstract = "Worry has been described as uncontrollable verbally-mediated analytic cognitive activity, or thoughts, concerning future events. To date, worry and the treatment of worry have been assessed primarily by self-report of cognitive activity. The current study assessed worriers and nonworriers during worry and a brief relaxation treatment using EEG alpha and beta measures. Worry was found to be associated with high, overall cortical activation as well as relatively greater left hemisphere activation. Progressive relaxation was associated with attenuation of worriers' left hemisphere asymmetric EEG activation. EEG alpha measures indicated less activation during and after progressive muscular relaxation than during a self-relaxation condition. Implications for theory and assessment of cognitive anxiety are discussed.",

author = "Carter, {William R.} and Johnson, {Mark C.} and Borkovec, {Thomas D.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgement - The authors are grateful for the support of the Don Trumbo Memorial Fund, and wish to thank William J. Ray for his suggestions and guidance.",

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T2 - An electrocortical analysis

AU - Carter, William R.

AU - Johnson, Mark C.

AU - Borkovec, Thomas D.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgement - The authors are grateful for the support of the Don Trumbo Memorial Fund, and wish to thank William J. Ray for his suggestions and guidance.

PY - 1986

Y1 - 1986

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AB - Worry has been described as uncontrollable verbally-mediated analytic cognitive activity, or thoughts, concerning future events. To date, worry and the treatment of worry have been assessed primarily by self-report of cognitive activity. The current study assessed worriers and nonworriers during worry and a brief relaxation treatment using EEG alpha and beta measures. Worry was found to be associated with high, overall cortical activation as well as relatively greater left hemisphere activation. Progressive relaxation was associated with attenuation of worriers' left hemisphere asymmetric EEG activation. EEG alpha measures indicated less activation during and after progressive muscular relaxation than during a self-relaxation condition. Implications for theory and assessment of cognitive anxiety are discussed.

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Worry: An electrocortical analysis

Abstract

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