Trait anxiety among students in a college golf class

This study examined trait anxiety among students (N=80) participating in a beginning golf activity class. Analysis showed no differences in anxiety scores by sex or playing experience; however, performance differences were noted as students with moderate scores performed better on golf evaluations than did those with high anxiety scores. Research should be directed to assess students' perceptions of anxiety and its effects.     

Religiousness,religious coping methods,and cognitive test anxiety among African-American college students

This study explored the roles of religiousness and religious coping methods in predicting cognitive test anxiety. A convenience sample of 121 African-American students (97 females and 24 males) ranging in age from 18 to 39 (M_age?=?20.16), attending a historically Black university completed an online questionnaire assessing demographic information, religiousness, religious coping methods, and cognitive test anxiety. Results showed that negative religious coping methods were significant factors in predicting cognitive test anxiety. These relationships may be pertinent for understanding salient factors that influence cognitive test anxiety in African-American college students.     

Group desensitization of test anxiety

Following an orientation session in which test-anxious students were instructed in the theory and method of desensitization, 18 ISU undergraduates applied for a desensitization and counseling program for test-taking anxiety. All students committed themselves to attend 7 weekly meetings and to practice daily the relaxation exercises at home. Nine of these 18 subjects were assigned to the treatment group and 9 to the wait-list control group on the basis of a free class hour at program time. Treatment consisted of 7 desensitization and counseling sessions. The treatment and control groups did not differ significantly in initial Grade Point Average or scores on the A.C.T. Test. Both groups improved their G.P.A. in the program quarter but only the treatment group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement (p< 0.05). It is concluded that counseling and group desensitization in this 7-session model is an effective and efficient technique to modify anxiety responses to test taking situations.     

Vicarious desensitization of test anxiety

students fail in the university environment due to an inability to perform in testing situations because of anxiety associated with tests (Suinn, 1968). Systematic desensitization has been found to be effective in the treatment of test anxiety, and attempts are being made to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of this procedure (Mann and Rosenthal, 1969; Suinn and Hall, 1970). This study evaluates the relative effectiveness of four methods of systematic desensitization in the treatment of test anxiety. Specifically, two changes were investigated which may lead to: (a) more rapid forms of treatment (massed treatment versus distributed treatment); (b) more easily administered forms of treatment (vicarious desensitization versus active desensitization).     

Correlates of separation anxiety symptoms among first-semester college students: an exploratory study

Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is rarely considered in college students with anxious symptomatology, but a growing body of evidence suggests that its symptoms are experienced by a significant number of young adults. The authors examined separation anxiety symptoms in a group of first-semester college students living on campus and experiencing extended separation from significant others, generally for the first time. They examined prevalence of separation anxiety symptoms among college students and the relationship between separation anxiety symptoms and students' educational decisions and performance. Results showed that 21% of first-semester college students reported symptoms of separation anxiety. In addition, separation anxiety symptoms were related to childhood SAD, panic attacks, and educational decisions. Results suggest that SAD may be a valid diagnosis in college students and may impact their educational choices and experiences.     

Approaches to religiosity related to anxiety among college students

To date, the literature on religiosity and anxiety has yielded mixed results. Available results suggest that constellations of religious attitudes, commitment and denominational subcultures have diverse relationships with types of anxiety. A sample of college students from a predominantly conservative Christian area responded to the Prayer Functions Scale, the Religious Commitment Inventory, the Scriptural Literalism Scale, the Fowler Religious Attitudes Scale, the Anxiety Control Questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A principal components analysis suggests that a constellation of religious variables—which involves religious commitment; aspects of one's prayer life, and relating to others in the religious reference group—has a significant negative relationship with trait anxiety. Although further confirmatory studies are necessary, at this point available data suggest that a committed, related approach to religiosity may be associated with lower levels of general anxiety.     

Culture-specific personality correlates of anxiety among Chinese and Caucasian college students

The present study investigated the relationship between a set of personality constructs (i.e. perfectionism, independent-interdependent self-construal, and collective self-esteem) and trait and social anxiety among 324 Mainland Chinese and 333 Caucasian college students. It was hypothesized that the strength of the correlation between these personality factors and anxiety would be different for the two samples. The results indicated that socially prescribed perfectionism was a better predictor of social anxiety for the Chinese participants, but of trait anxiety for the Caucasian participants. Independent self-construal predicted social anxiety better for the Caucasians than for the Chinese. Overall, aspects of collective self-esteem were more correlated with anxiety among the Chinese than the Caucasians. The authors argued that the findings can be used to improve multicultural counselling in China and the USA and to provide more culturally specific interventions to clients having anxiety disorders.     

Systematic desensitization, relaxation-training and suggestion in the treatment of test anxiety.

In investigations that have examined the component procedures in traditional desensitization treatment, desensitization was more effective than relaxation-training alone in several studies (Freeling and Shemberg, 1970: Davison, 1968; Rachman, 1968). while these treatments were equally effective in other studies (Benjamin, Mark and Huson, 1972: Aponte and Aponte, 1971; Johnson and Sechrest, 1968). One possible determinant of these inconsistent findings may be the presence of uncontrolled differences in therapeutic suggestion due to the fact that desensitization treatment typically includes a specific ‘rationale’ that explains the expected course and outcome of treatment while comparable authoritative guidelines for providing the rationale for relaxation treatment are not available.The present study compared the relative effectiveness of desensitization and relaxation-training in the treatment of test anxiety under conditions in which suggestion concerning the nature and outcome of treatment were essentially the same for both procedures. To examine systematically the role of suggestion in the treatment of test anxiety, instructions that were high and low in suggestion were given. Treatment outcomes were assessed in terms of changes in measures of anxiety and in performance on objective ability tests. A no-treatment group controlled for the effects of using the same pre- and post-treatment measures.     

Academic self-confidence effects on test anxiety among Nigerian university students

The study investigated academic self-confidence effects on test anxiety indicators of performance impairment and intrusive worry. Respondents were 206 Nigerian undergraduate students (mean age = 20.29, SD = 2. 22; female = 43.2%). The students took the Westside Test Anxiety Scale (Driscoll, 2004) and the Academic Self-confidence Scale (Jones, 2001). Data were analysed to predict performance impairment and intrusive worry from academic self-confidence, taking into account students’ year of study and gender. Results suggest that academic self-confidence influenced both performance impairment and intrusive worry dimensions of test anxiety. Students who were high in academic self-confidence reported lower performance impairment or intrusive worry. Also, first year students reported higher intrusive worry than those in second, third, or fourth year of study. High manifestation of academic self-confidence is an asset for coping with test anxiety.     

Mother-blaming among college students

The purpose of this study was to examine the tendency for mother-blaming among college students to determine if such a bias existed outside the clinical profession. The subjects were 49 men and 50 women at a small private university, who were asked to attribute responsibility for 45 behavioral and personal-psychological problems to one of the following targets: Father, Individual, Mother, and Society. Analysis showed Individual receiving most attributions, followed by Society, Mother, and Father, in that order. Relatively more problems are blamed on Mother than on Father, with a tendency to blame mothers for emotional problems such as dependency and shyness and fathers for behavioral-physiological problems such as child abuse and alcoholism. Intercorrelations of the number of attributions made to different targets clearly suggest that there are parent-blamers, society-blamers, and individual-blamers. Implications of blame attribution for mental health are acknowledged.