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Effects of respiratory and applied muscle tensing interventions on responses to a simulated blood draw among individuals with high needle fear

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Abstract

Fear of blood and needles increases risk for presyncopal symptoms. Applied muscle tension can prevent or attenuate presyncopal symptoms; however, it is not universally effective. This study examined the effects of applied muscle tension, a respiratory intervention, and a no treatment control condition, on presyncopal symptoms and cerebral oxygenation, during a simulated blood draw with individuals highly fearful of needles. Participants (n = 95) completed questionnaires, physiological monitoring, and two trials of a simulated blood draw with recovery. Presyncopal symptoms decreased across trials; however, no group differences emerged. Applied muscle tension was associated with greater cerebral oxygenation during trial two, and greater end-tidal carbon dioxide during both trials. The respiratory intervention did not differ from the no treatment control. Applied muscle tension is an intervention that can increase cerebral oxygenation and end-tidal carbon dioxide. While the respiratory intervention is promising within therapeutic settings, it was not efficacious after a brief audio training.

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Funding

This study was funded by a Student Enhancement Award awarded to JMK from Ohio University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, USA

    Jennifer M. Kowalsky, Robert Conatser & Christopher R. France

  2. Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA

    Thomas Ritz

Authors
  1. Jennifer M. Kowalsky
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  2. Robert Conatser
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  3. Thomas Ritz
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  4. Christopher R. France
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher R. France.

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Conflict of interest

Jennifer M. Kowalsky, Robert Conatser, Thomas Ritz, and Christopher R. France have no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights and Informed consent

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Kowalsky, J.M., Conatser, R., Ritz, T. et al. Effects of respiratory and applied muscle tensing interventions on responses to a simulated blood draw among individuals with high needle fear. J Behav Med 41, 771–783 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-018-9925-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-018-9925-8

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