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Life (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024For athletes, sleep is essential for recovery and performance. Yet, up to two-thirds of athletes report poor sleep quality. Comprehensive data across all sports...
For athletes, sleep is essential for recovery and performance. Yet, up to two-thirds of athletes report poor sleep quality. Comprehensive data across all sports disciplines on the underlying causes of sleep problems are missing. We reanalyzed a data set of = 1004 Swiss top athletes across an extensive array of 88 sports to gain knowledge on the specific deficits in sleep health with respect to gender, sport classes, sport-related factors, and well-being. We found that 18% of athletes were affected by at least two out of five high-risk sleep factors: 9% of athletes slept less than 6 h per day, 30% were dissatisfied with their sleep, 17% showed problems falling asleep within 30 min, 18% of athletes reported difficulty maintaining sleep more than three times a week, and 6% of athletes used sleeping pills more than once a week. We found sleep health strongly linked to overall well-being and mental health (22% showed at least moderate symptoms of either depression or anxiety). Therefore, screening and treating sleep disorders might effectively improve mental health and general well-being as well as performance among athletes around the globe.
PubMed: 38929761
DOI: 10.3390/life14060779 -
Emotion (Washington, D.C.) Oct 2023Academic examinations are highly emotional for university students, making ER essential for preventing or reducing the negative consequences of negative emotions on...
Academic examinations are highly emotional for university students, making ER essential for preventing or reducing the negative consequences of negative emotions on well-being and academic performance. Initial theorizing and research suggest that flexibly applying combinations of strategies can promote successful ER. However, studies using intraindividual approaches to examine ER strategy use in specific contexts across multiple occasions, are lacking. Moreover, the combinations of strategies used by students within different contexts, and the adaptiveness of different strategies for regulating different emotions, remain unexplored. To address these gaps, we conducted an experience sampling study to identify patterns of students' momentary ER and to examine how context (achievement-related vs. nonachievement-related), emotions (anxiety vs. hope), and academic performance function as potential covariates. Over 200 university students rated their anxiety, hope, and use of eight ER strategies over a 7-day period, six times a day, prior to an important exam in 2016 and 2017. Results of a two-level latent profile analysis revealed distinct profiles of ER that differed on both levels. Intraindividually, ER patterns differed as a function of type of emotion and context experienced. More specifically, momentary use of multiple strategies tended to be associated with greater anxiety, while in the achievement context this association was reduced. Interindividually, students' tendencies to use different ER patterns were not related to test performance. Our findings suggest that ER strategy selection depends on both context and emotions, and advance ER research by considering intraindividual strategy use in concrete achievement situations. Yet the sample is not sufficiently representative. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Humans; Anxiety; Emotions; Students; Anxiety Disorders; Academic Performance
PubMed: 36595386
DOI: 10.1037/emo0001200 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Dec 2023Most patients with lumbar spinal stenosis improve significantly within 6 months of lumbar decompression surgery, however, unfavorable long-term disability may persist in...
The association between disability and physical performance, pain intensity, and pain-related anxiety in patients after lumbar decompression surgery: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Most patients with lumbar spinal stenosis improve significantly within 6 months of lumbar decompression surgery, however, unfavorable long-term disability may persist in some patients. It was unclear which potential influencing factors were more likely to be associated with disability. This study aimed to assess the association between disability and physical performance, pain, and pain-related anxiety in patients after lumbar decompression surgery.
METHODS
Patients who underwent decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis were included. Participants completed the visual analog scale, Oswestry Disability Index, and Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale-20 to collect pain intensity, disability, and pain-related anxiety information. For physical performance assessment, participants performed timed up and go (TUG), functional reach test (FRT), 6-min walking test, and modified Sorensen test, 6-12 months after lumbar decompression surgery. The associations were examined with bivariate and multivariable linear regression analyses.
RESULTS
A total of 80 patients were included. A significant association between disability and pain-related anxiety, the FRT, and the modified Sorensen test scores was confirmed in multivariable analyses. Both bivariate (r = - 0.75) and multivariable (β = 0.60, 95% CI, 0.24, 0.54; P = 0.00) analyses confirmed that pain-related anxiety was the strongest indicator of disability. The association between disability and pain intensity, TUG, and 6-min walking test scores was not confirmed.
CONCLUSION
Pain-related anxiety should be considered in the rehabilitation programs after lumbar decompression surgery. The evaluation of all aspects of physical performance following lumbar decompression surgery is also recommended.
Topics: Humans; Spinal Stenosis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Pain Measurement; Lumbar Vertebrae; Decompression, Surgical; Pain; Anxiety; Treatment Outcome; Disability Evaluation
PubMed: 38093340
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-023-04462-5 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2023Mental and psychological disorders are serious health problems worldwide. Anxiety among high school students can affect school performance, relationships, and family...
UNLABELLED
Mental and psychological disorders are serious health problems worldwide. Anxiety among high school students can affect school performance, relationships, and family life.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim is to understand the anxiety levels and associated factors among high school students and compare the results of psychological tests measuring anxiety with the cortisol levels obtained from biological sampling.
METHOD
In our longitudinal follow-up study, we involved 125 individuals in May 2019. Validated measurement tools were used during questionnaire data collection, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Clear Communication Scale, Multiple Social Perceived Support Scale, and related HBSC questions. As objective data, we collected hair samples for cortisol level measurement.
RESULTS
At the end of the school year, the anxiety levels measured by psychological tests were significantly higher ( = 0.001) compared to the anxiety levels at the beginning of the next school year. Anxiety levels were higher among girls and were influenced by the type of school and parental expectations. Both state anxiety and trait anxiety showed a strong correlation with psychosomatic symptoms ( < 0.001) and anxiety arising from school expectations ( < 0.05). The changes in cortisol levels did not follow the changes in psychological tests. Cortisol level increased ( = 0.01) in the second sample.
PubMed: 37761509
DOI: 10.3390/children10091548 -
Cureus Nov 2023The learning performance and overall health of students might be impacted by excessive academic stress. While the right amount of stress can help improve learning and...
BACKGROUND
The learning performance and overall health of students might be impacted by excessive academic stress. While the right amount of stress can help improve learning and performance, too much stress can harm one's mental and physical health as well as academic performance. This research aims to assess the prevalence and use of the beta-blocker propranolol among healthcare students in Saudi Arabia.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare students at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The participants were sent an electronic questionnaire at random over three months, from June 10 to September 10, 2023. The data were analyzed using RStudio (version 4.2.2), and the categorized data were presented in frequencies and percentages. Fisher's exact test was used to determine the factors associated with propranolol use. The results were reported as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
The study comprised 582 participants, of whom (51.7%, n=301) fell within the age range of 24 to 26 years, (63.1%, n=367) were male, and (59.3%, n=345) were enrolled in the College of Medicine and Surgery. The majority of respondents (73.7%, n=28) reported that educational materials such as medical books were their primary source of information regarding the impact of beta-blockers on anxiety. Among those who used propranolol, over two-thirds (68.4%, n=26) had taken it before the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). About a quarter of the participants (26.1%, n=151) believed that propranolol was being misused by healthcare students, and (21.3%, n=123) believed that the drug could enhance academic performance.
CONCLUSION
The primary motives for taking propranolol were to alleviate anxiety before OSCEs and enhance performance during presentations. The participants showed some understanding of the impact of propranolol. Nevertheless, it is imperative to impart knowledge to them about the potential hazards linked to the misuse of beta-blockers.
PubMed: 38090443
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48606 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023Although the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed the way students studied, it is still unknown about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' academic...
BACKGROUND
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed the way students studied, it is still unknown about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students' academic performance and mental health.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the academic performance and mental health status of middle and high school students after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China.
METHODS
An online survey was conducted in Sichuan province, China from Dec 14, 2022 to Feb 28, 2023. All participants were students in middle and high schools, recruited via their teachers. The general information, COVID-19-related information, and academic performance were collected. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Internet Addiction Test (IAT) were used to assess the mental health problems.
RESULTS
Of 60,268 participants, 36,247 (60.2%) middle and high school students reported that their studies were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and 24,864 (41.2%) reported that their academic performance had worsened. The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms was 38.4 and 32.7%, respectively. There was a significant association between academic performance change and mental health problems. The logistic regression analysis showed that improved academic performance was a protective factor for depression, and declined academic performance was a risk factor for depression and anxiety. Being COVID-19 infected, family members being infected, with quarantine experience, and with COVID-19-related stigma were risk factors for depression and anxiety.
CONCLUSION
Academic studies and mental health status of middle and high school students in Sichuan, China have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, even after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Students' academic performance, academic concerns, and mental health status should be considered for educational policymakers and institutions to improve students' academic studies and mental well-being.
PubMed: 37645634
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1248541 -
Psychological Reports Dec 2023Test anxiety is common and may lead to a range of negative outcomes, including poor exam performance. Therefore, it is important to explore psychological predictors of...
Test anxiety is common and may lead to a range of negative outcomes, including poor exam performance. Therefore, it is important to explore psychological predictors of test anxiety. In this paper, we examined whether intellectual humility can predict test anxiety. In Study 1, college students ( = 181) completed an intellectual humility measure with four subscales and two different measures of test anxiety. In Study 2 ( = 196), a community sample recruited from an online workforce completed the same measures. In both studies, we found that intellectual humility was negatively related to test anxiety, such that higher intellectual humility predicted lower test anxiety. Specifically, Study 1 demonstrated a negative correlation between intellectual humility and the Sarason Test Anxiety Scale; Study 2 confirmed this negative relationship with both the Sarason and Westside test anxiety scales. We also found that this relationship was largely driven by the intellectual humility subscale of Independence of Intellect and Ego. Additionally, these results were present even when controlling for key demographic factors. These findings highlight intellectual humility's role in predicting exam anxiety and offer a potential avenue for intellectual humility to be leveraged into interventions to decrease exam anxiety in the future.
Topics: Humans; Test Anxiety; Emotions; Anxiety; Psychological Tests; Cognition
PubMed: 35617130
DOI: 10.1177/00332941221103524 -
Psychology Research and Behavior... 2023This research seeks to conceptualize foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) and provide its measurement, and further explore the influences of FLLA on self-perceived...
PURPOSE
This research seeks to conceptualize foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) and provide its measurement, and further explore the influences of FLLA on self-perceived listening performance.
METHODS
In Study 1, semi-structured interviews explored FLLA-arousal situations. Follow-up reliability and validity tests for the newly-developed scale were testified. In Study 2, structural equation modeling explored the relationship between FLLA and self-perceived performance, which was followed by the comparison of the effects of different types of FLLA on self-perceived performance between English and non-English major students.
RESULTS
The componential factors of FLLA included two factors, namely general listening anxiety and listening test anxiety, and general listening anxiety was represented by FLLA in classroom, daily usage, and media learning. The results also showed that listening test anxiety negatively affected self-perceived performance; general listening anxiety positively affected listening test anxiety but did not affect self-perceived performance, and listening test anxiety played a full mediation role. Moreover, findings revealed that non-English major students' general listening anxiety was higher than that of English major students. However, the multi-group analysis showed that these two groups did not differ in the effect of general listening anxiety on listening test anxiety, and in the effects of listening anxieties on self-perceived performance. For the two groups, the mechanism of anxiety-and-performance relationship was consistent.
CONCLUSION
The results of this research have expanded the knowledge of listening anxiety by distinguishing general listening anxiety from listening test anxiety. Moreover, by testifying the mediator of listening test anxiety, this research deepened the understanding of the effects of different types of FLLA on self-perceived listening performance and the intensity differences of listening anxieties in English and non-English majors. Furthermore, the research has contributed to the literature on FLLA research based on Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, and has practical pedagogical implications for future studies.
PubMed: 37675188
DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S422030 -
Acta Psychologica Feb 2024Learners' anxiety and emotional engagement have attracted a surge of scholarly interest due to their considerable relevance to students' academic performance and...
Learners' anxiety and emotional engagement have attracted a surge of scholarly interest due to their considerable relevance to students' academic performance and psychological well-being. However, the two variables await more exploration in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. To fill this gap, we aimed to investigate these two variables in online and offline English-speaking classes, respectively, at a university in China. We adopted a sequential mixed-methods research approach. First, we used questionnaires to measure and compare the level of anxiety and emotional engagement in the two classes. Then, we conducted semi-structured interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the factors affecting learners' online and offline learning experiences. Quantitative results showed that students had higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of emotional engagement in the online environment than in the offline context. The subsequent qualitative findings revealed a complexity of positive and negative factors affecting anxiety and emotional engagement in the two instructional contexts. Our findings can shed light on research and practices concerning learner emotions in online and offline EFL instruction. Strategies were also provided to help teachers mitigate learners' anxiety and enhance their emotional engagement, which includes formulating a learning community, providing emotional support, alleviating students' technical stress and distraction, and incorporating group-based interactive activities into the course.
Topics: Humans; Anxiety; Emotions; Anxiety Disorders; Language; China
PubMed: 38101082
DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104114 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Sep 2023Anxiety and depression are the most prevalent comorbidities among epilepsy patients. The screen and diagnosis of anxiety and depression are quite important for the...
BACKGROUND
Anxiety and depression are the most prevalent comorbidities among epilepsy patients. The screen and diagnosis of anxiety and depression are quite important for the management of patients with epilepsy. In that case, the method for accurately predicting anxiety and depression needs to be further explored.
METHODS
A total of 480 patients with epilepsy (PWE) were enrolled in our study. Anxiety and Depressive symptoms were evaluated. Six machine learning models were used to predict anxiety and depression in patients with epilepsy. Receiver operating curve (ROC), decision curve analysis (DCA) and moDel Agnostic Language for Exploration and eXplanation (DALEX) package were used to evaluate the accuracy of machine learning models.
RESULTS
For anxiety, the area under the ROC curve was not significantly different between models. DCA revealed that random forest and multilayer perceptron has the largest net benefit within different probability threshold. DALEX revealed that random forest and multilayer perceptron were models with best performance and stigma had the highest feature importance. For depression, the results were much the same.
CONCLUSIONS
Methods created in this study may offer much help identifying PWE with high risk of anxiety and depression. The decision support system may be valuable for the everyday management of PWE. Further study is needed to test the outcome of applying this system to clinical settings.
Topics: Humans; Depression; Cross-Sectional Studies; Anxiety; Epilepsy; Machine Learning; China
PubMed: 37209912
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.05.043