Breathing Characteristics and Symptoms of Psychological Distress: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

In this exploratory study of the relationship between characteristics of breathing and 3 common psychological issues (i.e., symptoms of anxiety, alexithymia, and depression), 79 college-age adults were examined using self-report, rater observation, and physiological measures. Results indicated significant positive relationships between dysfunctional breath characteristics and symptoms of both anxiety and alexithymia. A significant positive correlation was found between self-reported symptoms of dysfunctional breathing and symptoms of depression, but no significant relationships existed between symptoms of depression and either rater-observed breath characteristics or physiological measures.