Science to practice: Does gamification enhance intrinsic motivation?

Self-determination theory (SDT) has empirical support in understanding and enhancing motivation in a variety of contexts, including education settings. Niemac and Ryan have highlighted that using SDT in course design can lead to stronger fulfilment of an internal locus of causality regarding course work. One course design method anchored in SDT is gameful learning—structuring tasks that support intrinsic motivation, primarily increasing autonomy over learning. A gamified classroom (GC) may offer more assignments and points than minimally necessary for students to earn a passing mark, allowing students choice in which projects to pursue. Further research is needed to examine the degree to which students’ motivations differ between a GC and a non-gamified classroom (NGC). The purpose of the current study was to determine if students in a GC were more intrinsically motivated than students in NGC. Students were enrolled in an undergraduate kinesiology course using a GC design ( n = 24) or NGC design ( n = 26) and completed an online survey – derived from the intrinsic motivation inventory and the test anxiety questionnaire—at the beginning and end of the semester. In the GC, students started with zero points, and were offered multiple assignments with scaffolded difficulty to reach their desired grade. The NGC used a traditional 100% grade range, with only required assignments and exams, and students lost points for inadequate or inaccurate responses. Following analyses, it was revealed that students in the GC had higher perceptions of autonomy and competence than students in the NGC. Where these differences exist over time, along with differences in other subscales, will be discussed further. Educators seeking to enhance student motivation and engagement may therefore look to gamification as an appropriate methodology.

Tokophobia and Anxiety in Pregnant Women during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Poland—A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus emerged in the world at the end of 2019. The introduction of a number of restrictions had a significant effect on numerous aspects of human life with particular influence being exerted on pregnant women and their sense of security. The study aimed to assess the level of anxiety and its main determinants in women in the third trimester of pregnancy during the coronavirus pandemic. The study technique included the present purposely designed questionnaire, Labor Anxiety Questionnaire (KLPII), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The study was conducted in a group of 315 women in the third trimester of pregnancy. A total of 258 women (81.9%) completed the questionnaire in May 2020, and 57 of them (18.1%) completed it in October 2020. The overall analysis of the Labor Anxiety Questionnaire and the STAI inventory revealed a high level of anxiety, particularly situational anxiety, in pregnant women during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The age and financial status of the women were the factors which contributed to the intensification of tokophobia. Women interviewed in October 2020 were characterized by higher tokophobia levels compared to the respondents included in May 2020. It seems justified to in-crease the vigilance in the diagnostics of possible mental disorders in the perinatal period during pandemic.

Anxiety and Academic Performance based on the school average, in Students of the Faculty of Psychology and Human Communication Therapy (FPYTCH) of the Juárez University of the State of Durango

In undergraduate students, it is not uncommon to hear that they have symptoms of anxiety, due to the workload they have. Objectives: Identify the presence of anxiety in FPyTCH students, Indicate if academic performance is affected with respect to anxiety in FPyTCH students. Methodology: This research was non-experimental, exploratory, observational, by survey, cross-sectional and descriptive, since no experimental maneuver was performed, in a non-probabilistic sample obtained by accident and convenience, after signing the informed consent. Procedure: 104 students participated corresponding to the semesters of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th, to who were administered the Beck anxiety questionnaire. For statistical processing, spss version 20.0 software was used. Contribution: .906 CRONBACH. The results obtained show that 28.8% of the students present severe anxiety and 13.5% do not have anxiety, as well as the minimum grade average found is 6.9 and the maximum is 9.7, however, said grade average is not found. influenced by the presence or not of anxiety.

Quantitating Psychological Status-Quo among Students in Bangladesh using Zung’s Self-Rating Anxiety Analysis: Architecting a Blueprint to Predict Behavior in Lockdowns

The study objective is to create a baseline of the anxiety level among students in Bangladesh during country-wide lockdown phase. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using snowballing technique. The integral instrument in this study is the Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) self-rating anxiety questionnaire. Data was cleaned and statistical analysis was conducted using Excel. 822 respondents were obtained. 3.17%, 71.41%, and 25.42% experienced minimal, Mild to severe, and extreme levels of anxiety, respectively. The male gender experienced 4.24%, 65.17%, and 30.59% of normal, mild to severe, and extreme anxiety levels, whereas the female counterpart experienced 1.87%, 78.88%, and 19.25% of the respective levels. The main stress factors were revealed to be uncertainty over the future concerning academics and professional careers. The anxiety level also appears to be a driving factor in influencing individuals to break isolation during the lockdown. This paper attempts to outline a blueprint to predict individual behavior in relation to their anxiety status-quo, and breed further research under this umbrella.

Students' Thinking Level in Solving Mathematics Problems Based on SOLO Taxonomy as Viewed from the Mathematics Anxiety

The SOLO (Structure of Observed Learning Outcome) taxonomy is an educational taxonomy suitable for organizing various types of learning. The SOLO taxonomy categorizes students' thinking into five levels: pre-structural, uni-structural, multi-structural, relational, and extended abstract. The purpose of this study was to describe the level of students' thinking in solving mathematics problems based on the SOLO taxonomy with high, medium, and low levels of mathematics anxiety. This type of research is descriptive qualitative research. This research was conducted in one of the junior high schools in Tulungagung City, East Java, Indonesia. The instruments used were a mathematics anxiety questionnaire, test based on the SOLO taxonomy, and interview guidelines. The data analysis used the Miles and Huberman model, which consists of three stages, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing or verification. The results showed that subjects with high mathematics anxiety had a uni-structural level of thinking. Second, subjects with moderate mathematics anxiety had a multi-structural level of thinking. Third, subjects with low mathematics anxiety have an extended abstract thinking level.

Fear of Coronavirus, Stress and Fear of Childbirth in Polish Pregnant Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is the largest pandemic of an aggressive coronavirus in the human population in the 21st century. The pandemic may have a negative emotional impact on pregnant women, causing fear and stress. Negative feelings during pregnancy later affect fear of childbirth. Our study aimed to determine the relationship between fear of COVID-19, stress and fear of childbirth. We assume that fear of COVID-19 will be a mediator of the relationship between perceived stress and fear of childbirth. A total of 262 Polish pregnant women participated in this study. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FOC-6) and Labour Anxiety Questionnaire (KLP II) were used in the study. There was a statistically significant, moderate, and positive relationship between perceived stress, fear of COVID-19, and fear of childbirth. Fear of COVID-19 was a statistically significant mediator in the relationship between perceived stress and fear of childbirth. The COVID-19 epidemic may have a negative emotional impact on pregnant women, causing fear, stress and increased fear of childbirth. Childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic is perceived by women as a threat to their well-being and health. Therefore, it is especially important to support a woman in the perinatal period and to enable her to give birth to a child.

Clinical Case of a Child with Algoneurodystrophy

A clinical case of a 12-year-old female child with anxiety symptoms and a diagnosis of Algoneurodystrophy in the left hand is presented. The psychological assessment was carried out using the following instruments: observation, psychological interview, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III), State/Trait Anxiety Questionnaire for children, and Conners Scales for parents and teachers. The intervention aimed to reduce anxiety levels, promote self-esteem, and alleviate the child's grief. For this purpose, a cognitive-behavioral intervention was carried out with the child and their parents. Through education, the child's parents were alerted to the need to express the feeling of loss, providing an environment for the resolution of the grieving process of all family members. Furthermore, they were also warned about the maintenance factors of the child's anxiety symptoms, such as the issue of high parental demand. As a result, it can be concluded that good therapeutic gains were seen, translating into the resolution of the child's problems and, consequently, increasing their psychological well-being.