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Problematic anxiety in students impairs academic functioning. Teachers are often the first among school personnel to interact with these students, but they rarely receive training in evidence-based anxiety reduction strategies. This study assessed the feasibility of a brief teacher-administered school-home intervention (TAPES; Teacher Anxiety Program for Elementary Students) to reduce student anxiety symptoms. Eight elementary teachers completed a 1-day training and administered TAPES to 10 students with elevated symptoms of anxiety (M age: 8 years old; 50% female; 90% Caucasian). Feasibility of the intervention was assessed using several indicators, including training and intervention satisfaction as well as fidelity of implementation. Pre–post intervention student outcomes were collected from parents, students, and teachers. Results indicated that the majority of teachers were satisfied with the training and reported the intervention was feasible. Paired t-tests on pre–post outcome measures revealed significant reductions in student anxiety symptoms according to teachers and parents. Preliminary results suggest TAPES is feasible and helpful in reducing anxiety symptoms. Additional evaluation using a randomized controlled design is warranted.

Die Anwendung der Ohrakupunktur kann zur Reduktion von akuten Schmerzen beitragen. Zu deren Einsatz in der zahnmedizinischen Akutschmerztherapie nach oralchirurgischen Eingriffen ist die Datenlage unzureichend. Diese Studie untersuchte die Effektivitat der Ohrakupunktur als additive Analgesiemethode zusatzlich zur Lokalanasthesie bei der operativen Zahnentfernung. In einer prospektiven, offenen, nichtrandomisierten Pilotstudie (entsprechend der CONSORT-Veroffentlichung) wurden 2 Kohorten mit jeweils 50 Patienten mit der Indikation zur operativen Zahnentfernung unter Lokalanasthesie mit Articain mit oder ohne den zusatzlichen Einsatz einer Ohrakupunktur hinsichtlich des Primarparameters Schmerzintensitat in Ruhe und unter Kaubelastung postoperativ bis zu zehn Tage beobachtet. Die Zuordnung zur Akupunkturgruppe erfolgte nach Patientenpraferenz und nicht randomisiert. Sekundare Parameter waren Angst und Symptome wie Schwindel oder Ubelkeit. Die demografischen Daten und der Verbrauch von Lokalanasthetika in beiden Gruppen unterschieden sich nicht signifikant. Signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den beiden Gruppen bestanden zu den verschiedenen Messzeitpunkten im Ruhe- und Kauschmerz (ANOVA, p = 0,004, p = 0,007), ebenso in der Angstempfindung (ANOVA, p = 0,0001), der Anzahl der Patienten mit einer Analgetikaeinnahme (χ2-Test, p = 0,017) und deren postoperativem Analgetikaverbrauch (T-Test, 0,001). Die NRS fur postoperative Kopfschmerzen, Schwindel und Ubelkeit nahmen in beiden Gruppen nur geringe Werte an. Trotz der Moglichkeit eines Erhebungsbias und methodologischer Einschrankungen im Studiendesign weist diese Untersuchung auf schmerz- und angstmodulierende Eigenschaften der Ohrakupunktur in der postoperativen Phase nach operativer Zahnentfernung hin. Moglicherweise kann Ohrakupunktur als nebenwirkungsarmes additives Verfahren, besonders bei Patienten mit praoperativer Angst, zur Reduktion postoperativer Schmerzen beitragen.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate reductions in negative automatic thoughts and metacognitive beliefs as predictors of treatment gains in CBT for childhood anxiety disorders. A sample of 44 clinically anxious children between 7 and 12 years of age, who underwent CBT, completed questionnaires assessing negative thinking, metacognitive beliefs and processes, and anxiety symptoms before, after, and 6 months following treatment. Results indicated that negative thoughts and metacognitions decreased equally during the treatment period. Furthermore, metacognitions continued to decrease during the posttreatment period. Negative thinking and metacognitions were both significant predictors of reductions in child-reported anxiety from pre- to posttreatment. For long-term anxiety changes, only decreases in negative thoughts were related to anxiety reduction. Mediation analysis showed that metacognitions partially mediated the relation between negative thinking and anxiety. The study supports negative automatic thoughts and metacognitive beliefs and processes as putative mediators of CBT.

This study examined the long-term outcomes of a nonclinical sample of anxious children (N=61) who were randomized by school to 9 weeks of group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for children, group CBT for children plus parent training, or no-treatment control. Parents and children completed measures of anxiety symptoms at baseline, posttreatment, and at 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, 2-year, and 3-year posttreatment follow-ups. Piecewise longitudinal growth curve analyses were applied to the data. When the two CBT groups were combined and compared with control, the combined treatment group showed significantly greater reduction in children’s anxiety severity based on the parent ratings in the first longitudinal phase. However, on the parent Clinician Severity Rating gains were maintained to three years. Child report revealed no significant differences between groups on anxiety reduction. This study maintained a small no-treatment control group during the entire follow-up period. From parental perspective only, school-based group CBT appeared to be beneficial in decreasing severity of anxiety symptoms and maintaining gains over time.

The use of general anaesthesia for dental treatment in the NHS outside hospitals has changed over time. Although deaths are uncommon during or immediately after general anaesthesia for dental treatment, they are more likely to occur than with other methods of pain and anxiety reduction, such as local anaesthesia and conscious sedation. Inquiries into recent anaesthetic deaths in dental practice have been critical of the standard of care provided in areas such as pre-operative assessment, monitoring, resuscitation and transfer to specialist critical care facilities.1

We present the results of a study designed to measure the level of science anxiety in students enrolled in physics courses at Loyola University Chicago. We undertook this study with two objectives: (1) to determine the factors contributing to science anxiety; in particular, to ascertain whether the leading factors identified in an earlier study have remained constant over time, and (2) to investigate whether science anxiety was affected by a semester of introductory physics. This is the first study of its kind, analyzing science anxiety in pre- and posttests of a cohort composed entirely of students taking physics courses. We find that the leading factors contributing to science anxiety are nonscience anxiety, gender, and to a much lesser degree, course of study (major), in agreement with earlier results. In general, males start and end the course with somewhat less science anxiety (and nonscience anxiety) than females. Post-course responses indicated some improvement in nonscience anxiety and in science anxiety for both genders. Acute levels of science anxiety were somewhat decreased by exposure to a physics course. Different pedagogies and gender role models may correlate with anxiety reduction.

To assess anxiety levels in women undergoing early (EA) versus mid-trimester amniocentesis (MA) for prenatal diagnostic testing. Method: Women randomized to EA or MA at 9–11 weeks gestation completed an initial questionnaire, the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Centre for Epidaemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Prior to and after the procedure, subjects completed a questionnaire and the STAI. Results: All subjects had increased anxiety levels prior to the procedure with a decrease following the procedure. There were no significant differences in pre-test anxiety levels between women receiving EA or MA. Women who received results back earlier in pregnancy had a significantly greater decrease in anxiety (p < 0.01). Women who had genetic terminations or miscarriages after the prenatal testing still tended to be positive about prenatal diagnosis and seemed to prefer earlier procedures.

Studies are reviewed which (a) compare anxiety and other measures of psychopathology between normals and dysfunctionals ; (b) evaluate the effectiveness of anxiety reduction procedures for treating sexual dysfunctions; and (c) try to identify anxiety-related stimuli that alter sexual arousal. The studies, in general, suggest that (a) anxiety is common among people with sexual dysfunctions, but that the level and nature of the anxiety may vary greatly between individuals; (b) anxiety reduction procedures improve some, but probably not all, aspects of sexual dysfunctions; and (c) recent research has begun to identify some anxiety-related factors that can disrupt sexual arousal.

This article presents two studies investigating the psychological effects of fetal echocar-diography (FE). The first compared the effects of FE in high risk and obstetrically normal women. High-risk women were more anxious beforehand and had more negative attitudes. Following a normal scan their attitudes and anxiety were equivalent to the controls but a large variation in postscan psychological changes was found. This variation was examined in the second study with a larger sample. Selected background variables predicted prescan anxiety and anxiety reduction following a normal scan. Quality of communication and feedback also determined postscan anxiety level and rated satisfaction in the two-week follow-up questionnaire. Some suggestions for routine medical practice are included.

The rationale and structure of an integrated anxiety reduction procedure were presented. The procedure uses positive images after anxiety-related scenes to instate positive feelings, and uses physical exertion preceding and during scene presentations to compete with and lower anxiety arousal. There were 16 highly test-anxious subjects in each of six conditions designed to assess the procedure and its components. Anxiety was measured by self-report on actual tests. The exertion + positive images procedure produced significant anxiety reduction, comparable to a taped desensitization treatment. Anxiety reduction effects were found for both the exertion and positive images components. Relations to enjoyment of physical activity were explored.

Low doses of ethanol (0.4 g/kg) and chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg) increased exploration by rats on Trial 1 in a simple test situation, but the increase failed to reach significance when the situation was more complex. Ethanol (0.4 g/kg) impaired the response to a stimulus change since all groups except this showed increased head-dipping from Trial 1 to Trial 2 if objects were introduced on the second trial. Neither dose of ethanol impaired between-trial habituation of exploration, but chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg) retarded habituation and chlordiazepoxide (7.5 mg/kg) prevented it. While increased exploration might be ascribed to antianxiety actions of these drugs, impairments, specific to each drug, are also produced.

It was hypothesized that implicit choice in a traditional systematic desensitization procedure produces dissonance, the reduction of which is partially responsible for anxiety reduction. To test this, 24 female snake-phobic 5s were divided into 3 treatments, which varied in the degree of perceived choice in progressing through the hierarchy. Desensitization with Choice decreased fear as measured by self-report (n.s.) and a behavioral test more than Traditional Desensitization, which in turn decreased fear more than Forced Desensitization. The principle of reciprocal inhibition could not account for the results, while both dissonance theory and attribution theory could.