Citation

Arnetz BB, Edgren B, Levi L, Otto U. Soc. Sci. Med. 1985; 20(7): 731-736.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

4012360

Abstract

Psychoendocrine and behavioural effects elicited by viewing an exciting and partly violent movie were studied in 12-year-old boys (n = 42). The boys were divided into three groups. Group A (n = 13) consisted of boys scoring below the median value on the Sennton neurotic scale for vegetative and anxiety symptoms. Group B (n = 13) consisted of boys scoring above the median value on the Sennton neurotic scale. None of these boys had ever visited a psychiatric treatment centre, and they all came from the same school. A third group, Group C (n = 16), consisted of boys who, at least once, had visited an out-patient clinic at a child psychiatric treatment centre for neurotic problems. These boys attended different schools in the hospital catchment area. Group C had the same mean score on the Sennton neurotic scale as did Group B. By having two groups of boys scoring both high on the Sennton neurotic scale, one of which knew the other boys and one that did not, we were able to study possible effects of social support on psychobiologic reactions in neurotic boys. The boys' reactions to the movie were assessed by: self-ratings; direct observations of the boys by a team of trained child psychologists; and by analysis of urinary output of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. Group B rated their experience the strongest, viewing the movie, while Groups A and C rated themselves as rather unaffected by it. Group C was rated less verbally active, both during the control and the film periods, than were the other two groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Language: en