Most of the recent research in the area of subliminal perception has centered on the visual mode of stimulus presentation. The preponderance of that research is concerned with a technique that is hypothesized to stimulate the activation of an unconscious symbiotic merging fantasy which is purported to have an ameliorative effect on pathology. The present study explored the possibility of a merging-like fantasy activation through auditory subliminal means utilizing a population, of 30 VA inpatients with the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. In a double blind procedure, the subjects received three successive treatments with scores analyzed for significance by multivariate and trend analysis. Dependent variables consisted of Form X-1 of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the physiological measure of skin temperature. It was hypothesized that the auditory mode of psychodynamic activation would prove effective and that there would be a significant reduction in state anxiety. The results of this study did not support the specific effectiveness of auditory subliminal psychodynamic activation for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Self-report of perceived state anxiety decreased significantly for both the treatment and control groups as measured by the STAI, and there was a significant trend in the temperature data for both groups. There were, however, no significant differences between the two groups.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/181862 |
| Date | January 1984 |
| Creators | West, G. Norman |
| Contributors | Krause, Frank H. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | viii, 114 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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