Anxiolytic Effects of Diazepam and Trait-State Conception of Anxie

Abstract

This study was performed to elucidate the possibility that clinically relevant antianxiety drug effects could be shown by the experimental induction of high levels of state anxiety in subjects with high trait anxiety. Twenty-four volunteer men were used as subjects, each receiving either a single dose of 5 mg of diazepam or a single dose of placebo. To measure state anxiety level, a state-anxiety scale from the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and analog self-rating scales consisting of 10 cm long lines were used. A letter cancellation test, a digit symbol substitution test, a digit span test, and a modified Stroop color-word test were used as performance tests graded in terms of their likelihood to evoke stress. Significant decrease in state anxiety scores was produced by diazepam but not in performance on any of the tests. These findings suggest that any experimental model for human pharmacologic studies of antianxiety drugs must choose appropriate subjects not only on the basis of their levels of trait anxiety, but should also include a task of sufficient difficulty to elevate considerably the levels of state anxiety.