THE EFFECT OF TRAIT ANXIETY AND FITNESS LEVEL ON HEART-RATE AND STATEANXIETY RESPONSES TO A MENTAL ARITHMETIC STRESSOR AMONG COLLEGE-AGE WOMEN

This study examined the effect of trait anxiety (TA) and cardiovascula r fitness level on physiological and psychological responses during an d following the presentation of a mental arithmetic stressor preceded by an acute bout of exercise. 300 college-aged females were divided in to 4 groups based on their trait anxiety (TA) and estimated maximal ox ygen uptake: HI TA/HI FIT (n = 14), HI TA/LOW FIT (n = 20), LOW TA/HI FIT (n = 10), and LOW TA/LOW FIT (n = 14). Subjects then participated in a laboratory experiment consisting of: a) a resting base-line perio d, b) a 15 min cycle ergometer exercise, c) a 20 min recovery period, d) a 5 min cognitively stressful task, and e) a 10 min post-stressor r ecovery period. Heart rate (HR) and state anxiety were assessed throug hout the experiment. HI TA subjects had a higher HR during min 9-10 of the post-stressor period and higher state anxiety across conditions t han LOW TA subjects. HI TA/LOW FIT subjects tended to have higher HR d uring min 1-2 of the post-stressor period than LOW TA/LOW FIT subjects . In general, the findings suggest that fitness level does not mediate the influence of trait anxiety on stress responses even if the cognit ive stressor follows an acute exercise bout.