-
The International Journal of Clinical... 2023Test anxiety comprises cognitive, physiological, and behavioral reactions due to anxiety about failure or a lower academic performance score on an exam or evaluation....
Test anxiety comprises cognitive, physiological, and behavioral reactions due to anxiety about failure or a lower academic performance score on an exam or evaluation. This study examined the effect of self-hypnosis on reducing test anxiety among upper secondary school students using a quantitative methodology with a pre-experimental design. The prevalence of test anxiety was measured using the Friedben Test Anxiety Scale (FTAS) and students' demographic data were collected. Twenty-two 16-year-old students with moderate to high test anxiety were selected for a self-hypnosis intervention over a period of 5 weeks. The FTAS questionnaire was administered 4 times: at baseline, 3rd week, 5th week, and at follow-up (3 weeks after the intervention). Students' test anxiety differences were statistically significant across 4 time points. Self-hypnosis intervention decreased students' overall test anxiety scores and in the 3 constructs: social, cognitive, and tenseness. The outcomes indicate that self-hypnosis training can help students cope with test anxiety and should be further explored for managing test anxiety in school settings.
Topics: Humans; Test Anxiety; Malaysia; Hypnosis; Anxiety; Students; Schools
PubMed: 37611140
DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2023.2246512 -
Medical Science Educator Apr 2024Medical students experience anxiety at higher rates than the general public and many are uniquely affected by additional test anxiety throughout their medical education.... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Medical students experience anxiety at higher rates than the general public and many are uniquely affected by additional test anxiety throughout their medical education. Although test anxiety has been studied for decades, little evidence has been published suggesting interventions improve examination performance in medical education. Therefore, we set out to review the current literature to elucidate efforts so far and establish trends in research.
METHODS
Databases searched included PubMed, EMBASE, PsychINFO, ERIC, SCOPUS, and CINAHL. English language articles published between 2010 and 2021 were loaded into a reference manager to screen out duplicate articles. During the full-text screen and data extraction phase, reference lists were also inspected to identify additional articles for inclusion in the study.
RESULTS
Of 883 studies identified, 860 were excluded resulting in 22 studies for extraction and analysis. First-year ( = 15) and second-year ( = 12) students were primarily tested. Less than 10 included third- or fourth-year students. Self-help and wellness interventions were employed, though interventions ranged from dog therapy to deep breathing techniques to fish oil supplementation. Test anxiety was evaluated using self-report questionnaires, such as the Westside Test Anxiety Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. None of the studies reported improved examination scores.
CONCLUSION
This review identifies a variety of measurement tools and interventions attempting to mitigate test anxiety. As far as improving examination performance, none of the interventions reported was successful. Further research addressing test anxiety that results in improved medical student academic performance should be conducted and also use established assessment tools.
PubMed: 38686157
DOI: 10.1007/s40670-024-01999-w -
Journal of Affective Disorders Jul 2023To evaluate the effectiveness of VR therapy (VRT) for symptoms related to social anxiety disorder (SAD), namely fear and avoidance of social interactions and performance... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of VR therapy (VRT) for symptoms related to social anxiety disorder (SAD), namely fear and avoidance of social interactions and performance situations (FASIP), fear of negative evaluation (FNE), anxiety and depression, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed.
METHODS
Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Scopus were searched to include randomised controlled trials of VRT for SAD that met the criteria. A total of 15 RCTs with 720 participants published between 1998 and 2022 were included. Hedge's g with a 95 % confidence interval (CI) was adopted to compute the effect sizes.
RESULTS
Results showed no difference between the effect of VRT and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on FASIP, FNE, anxiety and depression and a large effect size for VRT versus the waitlist control group on FASIP (g = -1.170, 95 % CI: -2.056-0.283; p < 0.010). The moderator analysis demonstrated that VRT was superior to the controlled group in addressing FASIP, FNE and anxiety when the sample size was smaller than 50 and the number of sessions was five or fewer.
LIMITATIONS
Differences in hardware, software and intervention duration for VRT across studies.
CONCLUSION
This study confirmed the feasibility of VRT in alleviating the FASIP in patients with SAD, with the waitlist control group as a comparison. However, the effectiveness of VRT was not significant in FASIP, FNE, anxiety and depression compared to CBT. Additional social interaction scenarios should be developed in VRT, standardised hardware should be used and the proper length of exposure time to VR should be determined to enhance the efficacy of VRT.
Topics: Humans; Phobia, Social; Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy; Anxiety Disorders; Anxiety; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37084968
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.043 -
The International Journal of Clinical... 2023This issue of the addresses the efficacy and feasibility of hypnosis interventions for several medical problems and issues. The lead article provides a narrative review... (Review)
Review
This issue of the addresses the efficacy and feasibility of hypnosis interventions for several medical problems and issues. The lead article provides a narrative review of the efficacy of hypnosis interventions for Fibromyalgia. This is followed by a feasibility study of self-administered hypnosis for sleep disturbances in college students and an article on self-hypnosis for self-care in oncology patients. The effect of self-hypnosis on test anxiety is added in a study of secondary school students in Malaysia. These articles are complemented by a survey about hypnosis among students, therapists, and the general public in Poland. These are impactful topics that are addressed from an international perspective. The feasibility and potential efficacy of hypnosis interventions for a range of medical concerns are addressed as well as the impact of beliefs and attitudes about clinical hypnosis.
Topics: Humans; Fibromyalgia; Test Anxiety; Hypnosis; Neoplasms; Sleep
PubMed: 37708396
DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2023.2243785 -
Quarterly Journal of Experimental... Feb 2024One important factor that hampers children's learning of mathematics is math anxiety (MA). Still, the mechanisms by which MA affects performance remain debated. The...
One important factor that hampers children's learning of mathematics is math anxiety (MA). Still, the mechanisms by which MA affects performance remain debated. The current study investigated the relationship between MA, basic number processing abilities (i.e., cardinality and ordinality processing), and executive functions in school children enrolled in grades 4-7 ( = 127). Children were divided into a high math anxiety group ( 29) and a low math anxiety group ( = 31) based on the lowest quartile and the highest quartile. Using a series of analyses of variances, we find that highly math-anxious students do not perform worse on cardinality processing tasks (i.e., digit comparison and non-symbolic number sense), but that they perform worse on numerical and non-numerical ordinality processing tasks. We demonstrate that children with high MA show poorer performance on a specific aspect of executive functions-shifting ability. Our models indicate that shifting ability is tied to performance on both the numerical and non-numerical ordinality processing tasks. A central factor seems to be the involvement of executive processes during ordinality judgements, and executive functions may constitute the driving force behind these delays in numerical competence in math-anxious children.
PubMed: 38326319
DOI: 10.1177/17470218241234041 -
Journal of Sex Research Jun 2024Most research on sexual performance anxiety has focused on men's experiences and links to erectile functioning and premature ejaculation, with little research attention...
Most research on sexual performance anxiety has focused on men's experiences and links to erectile functioning and premature ejaculation, with little research attention given to women's experiences or to relationship dynamics. At times, sexual performance anxiety has been examined in the context of dysfunction, but rarely as a focus in its own right. Study 1 asked 51 participants reporting sexual performance anxiety to describe the cognitive and affective components of their experiences, coping strategies, and perceived impact on their relationship using open-ended responses from online surveys. Through directed content analysis, Study 1 revealed that men and women experience a range of cognitive and affective processes with predominant feelings of inadequacy, and overall promoting more approach coping strategies. Study 2 used quantitative surveys to examine whether sexual performance anxiety was associated with higher sexual distress and lower sexual and relationship satisfaction in a sample of 228 community-based couples. Guided by the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, multilevel modeling analyses indicated that higher sexual performance anxiety was linked to higher sexual distress and lower sexual and relationship satisfaction in both individuals and their partners. This work advances knowledge of sexual performance anxiety to women's experiences, not just men's, and to couples' experiences. Effective treatment for those suffering from this anxiety may incorporate education around sexual beliefs and expectations.
PubMed: 38848469
DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2024.2357587 -
Clinical Child and Family Psychology... Jun 2024Anxiety disorders are disorders involving cognition. Research on cognition in youth with anxiety can focus on cognitive content (e.g., self-talk) as well cognitive... (Review)
Review
Anxiety disorders are disorders involving cognition. Research on cognition in youth with anxiety can focus on cognitive content (e.g., self-talk) as well cognitive functioning. The present review examines domains of cognitive functioning (i.e., episodic memory, language, attention, executive functioning, motor skills, and visual functioning) in youth diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. A database search of Embase, PsycINFO, and PubMed yielded 28 studies that met inclusion criteria of youth aged 17 years or younger, a sample diagnosed with a principal anxiety disorder and a comparison sample of controls, a comparison between those samples, and use of a behavioral measure of neuropsychological performance. Findings did not identify any cognitive functioning strengths for anxious youth. Deficits were found in two domains (i.e., receptive language and motor skills) whereas no deficits were found in attention, visuospatial skills and one domain of executive functioning (i.e., inhibition). Most domains had mixed findings. Additional analysis indicated that anxiety disorders in youth are not associated with diminished IQ. Directions for future research are identified including (a) the prioritization of studies with larger, representative samples (b) the role of cognitive functioning as a predictor of anxiety treatment outcome (c) the examination of the effect of treatment on cognitive performance, and (d) the course of anxiety and potential impairment in cognitive functioning.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Anxiety Disorders; Child; Executive Function; Cognitive Dysfunction; Attention
PubMed: 38829508
DOI: 10.1007/s10567-024-00480-9 -
European Journal of Midwifery 2023Working with acute situations is usually part of midwifery practice. In the Netherlands the community midwives work in a context where they are mostly the sole...
INTRODUCTION
Working with acute situations is usually part of midwifery practice. In the Netherlands the community midwives work in a context where they are mostly the sole decision-makers and policymakers and often do not have the support of a multidisciplinary team during a birth. How Dutch community midwives maintain their emotional hygiene is not known. This study aims to explore how Dutch midwives perceive fear and its influence on their performance.
METHODS
This is a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews of 19 Dutch community midwives between October 2018 and January 2019.
RESULTS
Four themes were identified: 1) midwives' perceptions of fear and anxiety, 2) how years of experience affect fear and anxiety, 3) influence of the work content; and 4) implications for performance. Midwives perceived fear in acute situations where maternal and/or fetal complications were imminent. Participants perceived anxiety either as helpful or a hindrance. Awareness of these feelings helps them to regulate whether or not to give in to these feelings.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest similar perspectives on fear in Dutch community midwives compared to previous outcomes. In the Netherlands, midwives seem reluctant to talk about fear and anxiety in the profession. The awareness of these emotions occurring while working is essential for the wellbeing of midwives, as well as the importance of knowing how to act on fear and anxiety.
PubMed: 38023949
DOI: 10.18332/ejm/172574 -
PloS One 2023Mental health problems are pervasive nowadays. Adolescents are often expected to balance academic performance with familial obligations and work to support the family...
INTRODUCTION
Mental health problems are pervasive nowadays. Adolescents are often expected to balance academic performance with familial obligations and work to support the family financially if they belong to low-socio-economic areas. These pressures can lead to Anxiety, stress, and even depression.
OBJECTIVE
The study's main objective is to assess the association of gender, parenting style, eating habit, and screen timing with the level of Anxiety among school-going adolescents in three peri-urban areas of Karachi, Pakistan.
METHODOLOGY
A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents of age group 10-19 years using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale in two months in, three populated peri-urban areas of Karachi, Pakistan. Collected Data was analyzed by statistical software SPSS version with 80% response rate.
FINDING
In our collected data, 544 students participated; 313 (57%) were female, and 231(42%) were male. Among them 173(33%) participants showed moderate to severe level of anxiety out of which 140(26%) were female and 33(7%) were male. As per our study, strict Parenting style plays a significant role in developing moderate to severe 108(20%) levels of Anxiety, shown among adolescents in the studied population. In addition to this, those who do not take tuition 115 (21%), do not use transport to school 91(16%), spend significant time in games on mobile and computer 101 (18%), and have no involvement in physical activities 172 (31%) show more moderate to severe level anxiety than others factors. A significant multivariate association between level of anxiety with gender, school commute, type of lunch Intake, smoker family member at home, physical activity, video game, tuition and strict parent.
CONCLUSION
This study concluded that there are various factors which have great association with anxiety and can affect adolescents' mental health badly. The factors were parental strictness, video game playing, a sedentary lifestyle, and the smoking habits of family members. Children and adolescents must be evaluated as soon as possible while they are still young to prevent mental health issues.
Topics: Child; Humans; Male; Female; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Pakistan; Cross-Sectional Studies; Anxiety; Exercise; Schools
PubMed: 37856459
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289967 -
Developmental Psychobiology Nov 2023Despite early-life disadvantage (ELD) in humans being a highly heterogenous construct, it consistently predicts negative neurobehavioral outcomes. The numerous...
Despite early-life disadvantage (ELD) in humans being a highly heterogenous construct, it consistently predicts negative neurobehavioral outcomes. The numerous environmental contributors and neural mechanisms underlying ELD remain unclear, though. We used a laboratory rat model to evaluate the effects of limited resources and/or heavy metal exposure on mothers and their adult male and female offspring. Dams and litters were chronically exposed to restricted (1-cm deep) or ample (4-cm deep) home cage bedding postpartum, with or without lead acetate (0.1%) in their drinking water from insemination through 1-week postweaning. Restricted-bedding mothers showed more pup-directed behaviors and behavioral fragmentation, while lead-exposed mothers showed more nestbuilding. Restricted bedding-raised male offspring showed higher anxiety and aggression. Either restricted bedding or lead exposure impaired goal-directed performance in a reinforcer devaluation task in females, whereas restricted bedding alone disrupted it in males. Lead exposure, but not limited bedding, also reduced sucrose reward sensitivity in a progressive ratio task in females. D1 and D2 receptor mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens (NAc) were each affected by the early-life treatments and differently between the sexes. Most notably, adult males (but not females) exposed to both early-life treatments had greatly increased D1 receptor mRNA in the NAc core. These results illuminate neural mechanisms through which ELD threatens neurobehavioral development and highlight forebrain dopamine as a factor.
Topics: Rats; Animals; Humans; Male; Female; Dopamine; Receptors, Dopamine; Lead; Nucleus Accumbens; Anxiety; Aggression; Reward; RNA, Messenger
PubMed: 37860907
DOI: 10.1002/dev.22421