Effects of Positive and Negative Emotional Induction on Biological Reactions (Heart Rate and Blood Pressure) in Chronic Cancer Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity is viewed as a major component of the emotion response in many recent theories of emotion. The aim of this study was to compare the cardiovascular reactivity in patients with cancer and normal subjects under the conditions of the induction of positive and negative emotions. Methods: For this purpose, among the patients with cancer in Urmia and Kermanshah cities, a total of 40 individuals were invited to participate in the study in two groups of patients with cancer (n=20) and normal participants (n=20) using convenience sampling. Informed consent forms were obtained from the subject. Finally, in order to test the hypothesis and the goals of this study, participants in both groups were placed in positive and negative emotional experiences based on counter-balanced manner. After each emotion induction, cardiovascular responses (heart rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic) were recorded. To evaluate the results of the study, collected data were analyzed by using descriptive, univariate analysis of variance and dependent t test. Results: The results showed that there were significant differences between two groups in cardiovascular reactivity, so that the patients with cancer under emotional conditions, compared with healthy subjects had lower heart rate responses. But there was not found any significant difference in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Also, comparison within the groups with the patients with cancer showed that these patients under conditions of positive emotional response had higher diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. Conclusion: It seems that emotional reactivity plays an important role in people's vulnerability for developing psychosomatic diseases, especially cancer.

Keywords

• Cardiovascular
• Systolic
• Diastolic
• Positive Emotion
• Negative Emotion