3.1. Materials
cognitive rumination, Anxiety, anxiety
POLAND, MUSCLE RELAXATION, INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Before the experiment, the participants were required to sign a consent form confirming their willingness to participate. The participants were also required to fill in their personal information and answer several questionnaires as outlined below:Scales of Helplessness and Anxiety of Contracting an Infectious Disease by Rydzewska, K. and Sędek, G. 2020 unpublished research materials from SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities. These measures were used to indicate the potential role of high levels of maladaptive emotions in impeding rational decision making during the pandemic.The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is a self-reporting questionnaire designed to measure anxiety in adults. The STAI questionnaire is often used in medical and research settings to help identify people who may need treatment for anxiety [Following both the GI and mental task sessions, participants underwent attentional tests to test the hypothesis that GI can enhance attentional control.The anti-saccade test—attention control was designed according to the recommendations of the Antoniades protocol. In prosaccade trials, the object appears at the location of the cue, so the discrimination of stimuli is relatively easy. The primary indicator in this task is the average percentage of correct responses for the anti-saccade blocks.The numerical Stroop Test is a variation of the classic Stroop test that uses numbers instead of words. The test is designed to create interference between the automatic response of reading the digits and the task of counting them, which requires more cognitive effort. The test measures the ability to suppress automatic responses (response inhibition) and focus attention on the task at hand [The main indicator in this test is the average percentage of correct answers.Go/no-go tasks require participants to respond to one type of stimulus (the “go” stimulus) but inhibit their response to another type of stimulus (the “no-go” stimulus). This task assesses the ability to inhibit automatic responses and cognitive flexibility, as well as response inhibition and working memory [Furthermore, both prior to and following the GI and mental task sessions, the study participants were given questionnaires developed by the research team. These questionnaires encompassed various measures, including participants’ self-reported levels of stress and relaxation on a 10-point scale, and enabled the identification of emotions experienced by the participants before and after the GI and mental tasks.The experimental group underwent a recorded GI session, in which participants were provided with a series of instructions to visualize a calming and peaceful scenario. The session began with simple breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation techniques. The mental task group listened to a pre-recorded session consisting of mental tasks that involved recalling the names of voivodeships in Poland, zodiac signs, and other similar tasks. The inclusion of a mental task in the second group, rather than a resting state condition, was designed to simulate the experience of stress. Stress is known to elicit negative thoughts and worry, leading to cognitive rumination [Both experimental groups, including the guided imagery group and the mental task group, were subjected to identical conditions, which involved listening to pre-recorded instructions for the same duration. Furthermore, each experimental session was supervised by two trained technicians who diligently attended to technical aspects, ensuring proper electrode placement and functioning, including the playback of the recordings.To determine whether participants in the guided imagery and mental task group were actively engaged in the experiment and not sleeping, researchers employed several strategies to minimize the likelihood of participants falling asleep during the session summarized in the following. Monitoring: Researchers were present during the session and monitored participants during the guided imagery session and mental task session. This allowed to visually confirm whether participants remained awake and actively participated throughout the session. Instructions: Clear instructions were provided to participants before the guided imagery session and mental tasks session, emphasizing the importance of staying awake and engaged. Post-session debriefing: After the guided imagery session and mental task session, researchers conducted a debriefing via a survey with participants to ask about their experience and level of engagement. These measures, combined with the researchers’ direct observations and vigilance, can provide valuable evidence to ascertain whether participants in the guided imagery group remained awake and actively participated in the experiment. However, it is important to note that despite these efforts, it is challenging to completely eliminate the possibility of some participants unintentionally falling asleep during a session. However, the study conducted by Yaxin Fan “Short Term Integrative Meditation Improves Resting Alpha Activity and Stroop Performance” [