Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Cardiovascular Response To Anger Imagery And Speech In Vietnam Veterans With And Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Jennifer Jane Runnals

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies directly compare the physiological consequences of anger under a variety of induction methods. The current study explored the patterns of cardiovascular responding associated with varying anger induction methods, specifically personal anger memory recall through verbalization versus imagery in a sample of Vietnam combat veterans with and without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Spoken anger produced greater elevations in blood pressure than anger that was recalled through imagery but not spoken. This was true even after controlling for the metabolic activity associated with speech. However, for veterans with PTSD, anger imagery was also sufficient to produce an elevated response in …