Impact of Sports Anxiety on Sports Performance of Players

This study aimed to assess the impact of sports anxiety on the sports performance of players. The sample was comprised of 110 sports players (68 males, 42 females). The data was collected by using the probability sampling technique of purposive sampling from Sports Players that belong to Bahawalpur and Multan cities of Punjab Province. The age range of the respondents of this cross-sectional research was from 18 to 35years. Demographic information such as age, gender, qualifications, Area, marital status, socioeconomic status, and which kind of sport they play was also asked from them. Two questionnaires were utilized for the purpose of data collection, one was a 15-item, The Sport Competition Anxiety Test, and the second was a 6-item, Athlete’s Subjective Performance Scale. After data collection, SPSS (1.0.0.1406latest 21 version) was used for the analysis. The findings showed that if the sports anxiety increases, the sports performance of the player will decrease and vice versa (r=-.33). Moreover, sports anxiety was also a significant predictor of sports performance. The results also revealed no significant gender differences in sports anxiety and sports performance.

Researching Social Anxiety in an Online Sample of Patients

Objective The research paper is discussing and investigating the disorder of social anxiety in terms of psychology and mental health. Methods A Psycom Social Anxiety Test was conducted on a sample of online patients (n = 41) with social anxiety to use this data in further research for social anxiety disorder. Results The data showed a moderate correlation between the question “Are you extremely conscious of your actions when in social settings because you fear they might offend someone or you could be rejected?” and the question “Are your work life, home life, social life, and/or relationships affected by your anxiety?”. Conclusion There is a relation between the consciousness of the actions and the social life so social anxiety arises in those objects who suffer from social fear.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) anxiety test battery: comparison of behavioral responses in the novel tank diving and light–dark tasks following exposure to anxiogenic and anxiolytic compounds

Rationale Triangulation of approaches (i.e., using several tests of the same construct) can be extremely useful for increasing the robustness of the findings being widely used when working with behavioral testing, especially when using rodents as a translational model. Although zebrafish are widely used in neuropharmacology research due to their high-throughput screening potential for new therapeutic drugs, behavioral test battery effects following pharmacological manipulations are still unknown. Methods Here, we tested the effects of an anxiety test battery and test time following pharmacological manipulations in zebrafish by using two behavioral tasks: the novel tank diving task (NTT) and the light–dark test (LDT). Fluoxetine and conspecific alarm substance (CAS) were chosen to induce anxiolytic and anxiogenic-like behavior, respectively. Results For non-drug-treated animals, no differences were observed for testing order (NTT → LDT or LDT → NTT) and there was a strong correlation between performances on the two behavioral tasks. However, we found that during drug treatment, NTT/LDT responses are affected by the tested order depending on the test time being fluoxetine effects higher at the second behavioral task (6 min later) and CAS effects lower across time. Conclusions Overall, our data supports the use of baseline behavior assessment using this anxiety test battery. However, when working with drug exposure, data analysis must carefully consider time-drug-response and data variability across behavioral tasks.

Increased Anxiety and Decreased Confidence Lead to Poorer Short-Passing Performance in Collegiate Soccer Players

Introduction: Competitive soccer players are required to perform short passing under stressful conditions; their success may be related to their self-confidence and anxiety levels. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between short-passing ability and anxiety and self-confidence among collegiate soccer players. Methods: Seventeen Division III collegiate soccer players (20.0 ± 1.0 years, 65% female) completed the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI), Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), Trait Sport-Confidence Inventory (TSCI), and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R) and the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT). Spearman’s rho (rs) was used to identify if a relationship between these inventories and LSPT time existed. Results: Mean LSPT total time was 55.7 ± 12.0 seconds. We observed positive relationships between SCAT and LSPT total time (rs = .51, p = .04) and CSAI-2R and LSPT total time (rs = .55, p =.03). Furthermore, a strong negative relationship was found between TSCI and LSPT total time (rs = -.68, p = .004). Conclusions: There is a relationship between anxiety, confidence and short-passing performance in collegiate soccer players. Coaches should consider interventions to decrease players’ anxiety and improve self-confidence in preparation for soccer competition.

Motion Sickness Lessons from the Southern Ocean

BACKGROUND: The objectives were to assess the prevalence, severity, and medication taken, and to look for predictive factors in order to better identify characteristics of passengers at risk of motion sickness during transport from Hobart in Tasmania to the French polar stations in Antarctica. METHODS: There were 239 passengers who were surveyed over 4 yr with 4 round trips per year using the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ), Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), state-trait anxiety test (STAI-Trait and STAI-State), and general parameters (age, gender, number of trips, jet-lag, direction of the trip), medication, calculation of the distance of each passengers cabin to the center of gravity (CoG). RESULTS: While the passengers had a low intrinsic sensitivity to motion sickness (MSSQ), 94 reported at least one SSQ symptom of motion sickness, and 38 vomited. Five associated factors were discovered: greater initial sensitivity (MSSQ), anticipation of being ill, younger age, higher level of anxiety at midtrip, and greater distance from the CoG. Of the passengers, there were 54 who took anti-motion sickness medication at different times of the trip, however, these passengers experienced more nausea. This could be due to self-selection since they were more sensitive to motion sickness. CONCLUSION: We identified three predictive factors of motion sickness (greater intrinsic susceptibility, younger age, and greater cabin distance from the CoG). For preventive purposes, two associated factors of MS (anticipation of being ill, MSSQ score) were determined to classify three groups of risk of MS to improve passenger care during the trip. Besnard S, Bois J, Hitier M, Vogt J, Laforet P, Golding JF. Motion sickness lessons from the Southern Ocean. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(9):720727.

L'impatto della violenza assistita sui minori: attaccamento, locus of control ed esiti psicopatologici

Obiettivo del presente studio è stato esplorare l'impatto della violenza assistita in famiglia da parte di minori sull'emergere di eventuali quadri sintomatologici, sulla costruzione dei loro legami di attaccamento e sulla strutturazione del locus of control. I partecipanti allo stu-dio sono stati minori (n = 30), vittime di violenza assistita in famiglia (età media: 11.57 an-ni, DS = 2.01), confrontati con un gruppo di controllo (n = 60; età media: 11.03 anni, DS = 1.96). Le ipotesi verificate sono state le seguenti: 1) le vittime di violenza assistita nel con-fronto con il gruppo di controllo hanno più frequentemente un attaccamento insicuro, valu-tato mediante il Separation Anxiety Test (Attili, 2001); 2) le vittime di violenza assistita rive-lano un assetto psicopatologico più severo, valutato mediante le Scale Psichiatriche di Au-tosomministrazione per Fanciulli e Adolescenti (Cianchetti & Sannio Fancello, 2001); 3) le vittime di violenza assistita hanno un locus of control più esterno, valutato mediante la Sca-la di Nowicki-Strickland (1973). Dai risultati emerge che i minori, testimoni di violenza in famiglia, rispetto al gruppo di controllo, hanno più di frequente un legame di attaccamento insicuro, in particolare di tipo evitante e, a seguire, di tipo ambivalente. Mostrano un assetto sintomatologico che comprende le dimensioni di ansia, depressione, disturbi alimentari psi-cogeni e sintomi somatici. Rivelano, infine, la presenza di più elevati livelli di locus of con-trol esterno.

Application of Pop Quiz Method in Teaching Biostatistics to Postgraduate Midwifery Students and Its Effect on Their Statistics Anxiety, Test Anxiety and Academic Achievement: A QuasiExperimental Study with Control Group

Introduction: Anxiety in students is a challenge of educational systems. The present study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of Pop Quiz (unannounced formative tests) in teaching biostatistics to postgraduate midwifery students and its effects on their statistics anxiety, test anxiety and statistical analysis skills. Methods: This quasi-experimental study conducted during the first semester of the academic year of 2019-2020 in the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. The MSc midwifery students were divided into two separate classes. One of the classes was randomly selected for educational intervention (Pop Quiz). Teaching via the lecture method considered as control method. Test anxiety and statistical anxiety questionnaires were completed by the students in both groups before the educational intervention, during and at the end of semester. The final exam score considered as the statistical skills score. Data were analyzed in SPSS 22 using Fisher's exact test and GEE model. Results: Thirty eight MSC midwifery students (12 in intervention group and 26 in comparison group) were recruited in this study. The mean and standard deviation of the exam score of students in lecture and Pop Quiz groups were respectively 14.43 ± 3.80 and 15.95 ± 2.79 (P=0.182). The patterns of change in test anxiety score differed significantly over time between the two teaching methods (P = 0.003). Although, there was a decreasing trend in mean score of statistics anxiety scores in Pop Quiz group in comparison with lecture based group, but there were not statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Applying Pop Quiz to teaching biostatistics reduces test anxiety and statistics anxiety and increases statistical analysis skills in postgraduate midwifery students.

EFFECT OF COMPETITION ANXIETY ON ATHLETES SPORTS PERFORMANCE: IMPLICATION FOR COACH

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of competition anxiety upon sports performance of elite athletes who took part in the “31st National Games held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP), Pakistan. Methodology: One hundred and twenty-eight (N=128) males= 88, females= 40; Age 21.9 +/-1.5 years; Sports Experience, 8.9 +/-1.7 years) provided the required information on 15-items Sports Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT). The history of sports performance of athletes was obtained during breaks within competitive fixtures. Main Findings: The analyzed data revealed that competitive anxiety is responsible for 38% change in sports performance. Furthermore, the relationship is moderate negative identifying that an increase in competitive anxiety decreases the sports performance of athletes (r=-0.386, P=.002). Additionally, comparative analyses indicated that female athletes and athletes from individual sports showed higher levels of Competition Anxiety, while male athletes and athletes with team sport reported lower levels of Competition Anxiety (P <.005). Implications of the study: This gender impact is critical and significant showing decisive implications for the coaches and trainers. These findings were explored in light of the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for designing sport psychology programs in Pakistan for athletes from various contexts. Novelty: The findings indicate that competitive trait anxiety can harm the success, and indicate that certain PL athletes can benefit from therapies that seek to decrease anxiety before and during competition.

An investigation on burnout, test anxiety, test motivation, and test attitude of prospective mathematics teachers in Turkey

Student burnout can lead to lower motivation to do required coursework and higher absenteeism. The purpose of the study was to examine whether a significant correlation exists between burnout, test anxiety, test attitude, and test motivation of prospective mathematics teachers studying at mathematics teacher program in an education faculty of a state university in Turkey. This study also sought to examine whether there is a significant difference between burnout, test anxiety, test attitude, and test motivation of prospective mathematics teachers, according to gender and grade level. Data were collected from 340 students. We found a significant positive correlation between test attitude and test motivation, between burnout and test anxiety; also the results of ANOVA showed that there was a statistically significant difference in prospective mathematics teachers’ burnout and test anxiety, according to grade level. These findings support prospective mathematics teachers’ test attitude had a significant positive correlation with test motivation, their burnout had a significant positive correlation with test anxiety and there was a significant difference between burnout and test anxiety, according to grade levels.

Students’ Perception Toward the Implementation of Speech Training

Speech anxiety becomes one of the obstacles for the students to enhance their speaking competence. The students felt afraid of speaking in public because the students were apprehansion to make mistakes, gain negative evaluation and less preparation in giving speech. Thus, this study was designed to know students’ perception toward the implementation of speech training in improving students’ speaking competence and reducing speech anxiety. This study used descriptive qualitative. The population of this study is fourth semester students in academic year of 2015/2016 of English Department in one of the private universities at Kendari. The number of the students was 38. The instruments of this study were anxiety test, observation checklist, interview guideline and note taking. The data were analyzed qualitatively. The findings of this study were the students had positive response or attitude to the implementation of Speech Training. Based on the interview and observation guideline, the students were enthusiastic in joining speech training and they feel better in giving speech in front of many people. Besides, most of the students weren't anxious anymore, even though some students were still awkward in giving speech. Thus, the students assume that speech training could alleviate their speech anxiety and improve their speaking competence.