Human Anxiety in an Aquatic Environment
Abstract
Cadets enrolled in a basic, open-water SCUBA course were used to assess human anxiety in an underwater environment. We measured heart rate, a proposed criterion measure for anxiety, in a classroom, before entering confined water (pool), in confined water (three times-standing with the face in and out of the water, and on SCUBA for the first time), and before the first open water dive. We created a combined anxiety index, a simple sum using both a physiological measure (heart rate) and a subjective measure (SAI). We also administered pencil and paper instruments (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Anxiety Sensitivity Index, demographics). There were no panic reactions among these cadets during SCUBA training. The main conclusion drawn was that Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI) scores might provide some predictive power for the occurrence of anxiety reactions during SCUBA training. The TAI acquired during a Classroom session was moderately predictive of our anxiety index, acquired two weeks later at the open Dive Site, explaining about 25% of the variance in the anxiety index. SCUBA instructors might want to consider using the TAI as a rough screening tool for novices entering SCUBA training.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 31, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA381794
Entities
People
- A. W. Rieben
- James C Miller
Organizations
- United States Air Force Academy