Level Of Apprehension Research Articles

Studying in Online Environment: Students' Attitude Towards Online Open Electives in Karnataka

With the increasing popularity of the online environment, universities and colleges have started offering open online elective courses to provide students with a wide range of options to choose from. However, the success of these courses largely depends on the students attitudes toward them. The current study aimed to investigate the attitudes of undergraduate and postgraduate students toward online open electives in Karnataka. The sample consisted of 393 students chosen through purposive sampling and employed MOCA (Measure of Online Communication Attitude), developed by Ledbetter in 2009. The study revealed that students reported higher levels of apprehension and self-disclosure when compared to other domains, with social connection, ease, and miscommunication following suit. Males were observed to have higher levels of self-disclosure and social connection when compared to females. Apprehension was found to be more prevalent among students under 20 years old, whereas miscommunication, social connection, and ease were more prevalent among those between 23 and 25 years of age. Students from rural areas tended to exhibit higher levels of self-disclosure, apprehension, and miscommunication compared to their urban counterparts. Government college students reported higher levels of apprehension, while self-disclosure, social connection, and ease were higher among students studying in unaided colleges. Miscommunication was found to be more common among humanities and social science students, while science students reported higher levels of social connection and ease. The results of the study will help understand the factors that influence students’ attitudes towards online open electives and provide insights into how universities and colleges can improve the design and delivery of these courses to enhance students’ learning experiences.

Management of a pediatric mandibular symphysis fracture with a custom acrylic cap splint

ABSTRACT Traumatic dentoalveolar injuries in pediatric patients are a common occurrence. Treatment strategies for managing mandibular fractures in pediatric patients are dissimilar to that of adult patients. The dynamic nature of bone, developing tooth buds, parent’s levels of apprehension, and the patient’s level of cooperation are some of the factors which dictate the treatment of choice. Treatment rendered should aim at the stabilization of fractured segments with minimum invasiveness. The purpose of this case report is to describe the management of mandibular symphysis fracture in a 1-year-old boy using an acrylic splint which is stabilized with circummandibular wiring.

The Relationship Between Intercultural Communication Apprehension and Therapeutic Communication of Nurses in Regional Public Hospital Ward

Intercultural communication apprehension defined as fear or anxiety as a result of interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds. While therapeutic communication defined as communication carried out by nurses in communicating with clients to build interpersonal relationships. This research was conducted to determine the relationship between intercultural communication apprehension and therapeutic communication in hospital ward nurse. Correlational quantitative research design with a cross-sectional survey design approach used consisted of 98 nurse respondents determined through the total sampling technique. Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Appreciation (PRICA) questionnaire and the therapeutic communication questionnaire showed that intercultural communication apprehension level among nurses was mostly at moderate level with a total of 69 nurses (70.4%) while nurse therapeutic communication was mostly at good level with a total of 82 nurses (83.7%). The Kendall's Tau-B test showed that there was no significant relationship with a p value of 0.698. Communication anxiety level can be influenced by gender, and ethnocentrism. While therapeutic communication can be influenced by age, gender, culture and language, level of education, and length of work of nurses. Nurses' understanding regarding these factors is needed to avoid intercultural communication anxiety and to improve therapeutic communication that can affect the quality of health services.

ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, PUBLIC SPEAKING EXPERIENCE, AND COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION IN ORAL PRESENTATION OF POLYTECHNIC STUDENTS

Oral presentation apprehension plagues people when they communicate orally, especially when they make oral presentations in public. This study examined the relationship between English proficiency, public speaking experience, and communication apprehension in polytechnic students during oral presentations. The study involved 62 students from a polytechnic in Sarawak, Malaysia, who filled in the PRCA-24 questionnaire that focused on the elements of public speaking. The results showed that 6.4% of the students had a low level of communication apprehension, while 71% had a moderate level of communication apprehension. For 22.6% of the students, the level of apprehension was very high. The students felt anxious and uncomfortable when asked to give an oral presentation. The t-test showed that the male students significantly differed from the female students regarding their communication apprehension. The mean scores showed that the male students experienced greater communication apprehension (M= 2.19 ± 0.52) than the female students (M= 2.00 ± 0.44). There was a significant negative relationship between oral presentation experience and the level of communication apprehension. These results may suggest that extensive training in public speaking can improve public speaking skills and enhance employability opportunities.

Composition and implications of foreign‐language anxiety among American study‐abroad students in Morocco

AbstractIn this study, the foreign‐language anxiety (FLA) of American students of Arabic on three study‐abroad programs in Morocco was examined. Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) of the students’ data based on items from the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale yielded four distinct factors, or domains, of FLA: Somatic Distress, Self‐Doubt, Nonengagement, and Apprehension. Although the students had a moderate level of self‐doubt concerning their studies as well as a moderate level of apprehension about being with Arabic L1 users, they tended to report engagement and absence of somatic distress in relation to Arabic. Scores among all four factors differed significantly from each other, apart from the comparison between Self‐Doubt and Apprehension. In addition to having implications for pedagogical practice and study‐abroad programs, this research is an attempt to demonstrate best practice in EFA.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING LEVEL AMONG FOREIGN NATIONAL MIDWIFERY STUDENTS

Intercultural communication is defined as the communication process that occurs between peopleor groups from different cultures. Intercultural communication apprehension, on the other hand, is definedas the anxiety experienced when communicating with people from different groups. This study wasconducted to determine the impact of intercultural communication apprehension level on the professionallearning level among foreign national midwifery students. The data for this cross-sectional study wascollected between February 2023 and April 2023. Prior to the study, approval was obtained from the Socialand Humanities Research Ethics Committee of a University (Date: 27.02.2023 and Number: E-77192459-050.99-224243). The population of the study consisted of foreign national students studying in themidwifery department of a university's health sciences faculty in Turkey (N=179). No sampling wasperformed, and data was collected from 86 students who agreed to participate in the study. The data for thestudy was collected online using the "Personal Information Form," "Sources and Problems of MotivationScale," and "Intercultural Communication Apprehension Scale." SPSS version 23 was used for dataanalysis. Descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation, and frequency were used to analyze thesociodemographic characteristics of the participants. The relationship between the scales was examinedusing Pearson correlation analysis. The data obtained was evaluated at a significance level of p<0.05 and aconfidence interval of 95%. The mean age of the students is 22.8 ± 1.7. The mean score for the InterculturalCommunication Anxiety Scale (ICAS) is 48.5 ± 8.7, indicating that the students experience a moderatelevel of anxiety. The mean score for the Sources and Problems of Motivation Scale (SPMS) is 88.9 ± 12.There is a statistically significant moderate positive linear relationship between SPMS and ICAS scoresamong the students (r = 0.491, p <0.001).As a result of this study, it was found that first-year students experience more intercultural communicationanxiety compared to other students and as students' intercultural communication anxiety increases, theirsources of motivation and problems also increase.

Do English Education Department Students Experience Communication Apprehension? An Investigation of Their Level and Strategies

In recent decades, investigation on students’ communication apprehension has emerged after being abandoned. It is believed classroom interaction in oral competency consists of students’ activities which mainly facilitate them to develop their communication skill. However, not all students have the same ability in communication. This study aims to investigate the students’ level of communication apprehension and their strategies used to overcome. The Personal Report of Communication Apprehension-24 instrument was used to measure students’ level of communication apprehension, and was analyzed with quantitative descriptive. Interview was conducted to find out their strategies to overcome it. The data collection method was carried out by distributing to 20 respondents, the English education department students of Universitas PGRI Yogyakarta. The obtained data in the form of questionnaire transcription was analyzed as its formula, while interview data was be analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. The results showed that 5 students were categorized as low level, 3 students were in average level, and 12 students experienced in the high level. Efforts done by students to overcome the communication apprehension are cognitive, affective and social strategies. Based on the findings, it can be declared that majority of students experienced high level of communication apprehension and they preferred affective strategy to reduce communication apprehension. Findings of the research demanded the lecturers conduct meaningful activities such as group discussion to promote autonomous students’ communication practice.

On Earth and in My House

On Earth and in My House

Safety of Adenosine for the Treatment of Supraventricular Tachycardia in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with pulmonary involvement and cardiac arrhythmias, including supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Adenosine is commonly used to treat SVT and is generally safe, but is rarely associated with bronchospasm. There are no data regarding the safety of adenosine use in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and physicians may hesitate to use it in such patients. We surveyed resident physicians and cardiology attendings regarding their level of comfort in administering adenosine to hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We compared a study group of 42 COVID-19 hospitalized patients who received adenosine for SVT to a matched (for age, sex, and co-morbidities) control group of 42 non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients during the same period, all of whom received IV adenosine for SVT. Escalation of care following intravenous adenosine administration was defined as increased/new pressor requirement, need for higher O2 flow rates, need for endotracheal intubation, new nebulizer therapy, or transfer to intensive care unit within 2 h of adenosine administration. Survey results showed that 82% (59/72) of residents and 62% (16/26) of cardiologists expressed hesitation/significant concerns regarding administering adenosine in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Adenosine use was associated with escalation of care in 47.6% (20/42) COVID-19 as compared to 50% (21/42) non-COVID-19 patients (odds ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.45-2.01, p = NS). Escalation of care was more likely in patients who were on higher FiO2, on prior nebulizer therapy, required supplemental oxygen, or were already on a ventilator. In conclusion, we identified significant hesitation among physicians regarding the use of adenosine for SVT in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In this study, there was no evidence of increased harm from administering adenosine to patients with SVT and COVID-19. This finding needs to be confirmed in larger studies. Based on the current evidence, adenosine for treatment of SVT in this setting should not be avoided. Key Points: Question: Given the known bronchospastic effects of adenosine, is the use of adenosine safe for treatment of supraventricular tachycardia in hospitalized patients with COVID-19? Findings: A survey of residents and cardiology attending identified that a majority expressed some level of apprehension in using adenosine for SVT in COVID-19 patients. In our matched cohort study, we found adenosine use to be comparably safe in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Meaning: Based on current evidence, adenosine for treatment of SVT in this setting should not be avoided.

Awareness about Clinical Establishment Act among Dentists – A Cross-sectional Study

Background: The Kerala Clinical Establishment Act (CEA) provides for registration and regulation of clinical establishments from all recognized systems of medicine in the public and private sectors. The dental profession, where most services are rendered by private practitioners is also included in this Act. It follows that dentists must stay abreast of the laws that govern the profession of dentistry. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the awareness and apprehensions about the Act among dentists in Kerala. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a questionnaire among 400 dentists from June 2020 to August 2020. The participants comprised dental practitioners with undergraduate/postgraduate degrees, faculties in dental colleges, and postgraduate dental students. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square and logistic regression method. Results: A total of 78% of respondents were aware about the Act. More than half of the participants (58%) had a high awareness score regarding the Act. Low levels of apprehension were exhibited by 65% of the study participants. The determinants for awareness were significant in relation to age, gender, education level, type of practice, duration of practice, and location of practice (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the need for improved clarity of clauses in the Act associated with transparency and public access to information at Clinical Establishments. The implementation of the Act would contribute greatly to shaping a reliable health-care service for the public as the findings of this research suggest that dentists in Kerala think that mandatory registration and regular inspections as envisioned in the Act would identify and isolate the quacks in the profession.

A Cognitive Model for Developing University Students' Communication Skills

This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of a learning model in developing students' communication skills and reducing their communication apprehension level. This model consists of three main elements, each of which has sub-elements. It takes the students through three different phases starting with raising awareness and reaching autonomy. A training program and an assessment battery were developed and administered. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze data. There were significant differences among the pre, post, and follow-up measurements. The pedagogical implications of the study have been discussed.

The Extent to Which Communication Apprehension Contributes to Psychological Loneliness in the Elderly Recovering from Covid-19 in Jordan

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the level of communicative apprehension and psychological loneliness, and to verify the relative contribution of the elements of communicative apprehension to psychological loneliness among the elderly recovering from the (Covid-19) virus in Jordan, and to identify the difference in communicative apprehension and psychological loneliness according to gender.
 Methods: To achieve the objectives of the study, the study was conducted on an available sample of 158 elderly recovering from the (Covid-19). The descriptive relational analytical method was used by sending the link to several groups through the convenience sampling. The communicative obsessiveness scale was also developed, relying on the Obeid scale (Obeid, 2010) of psychological loneliness in the elderly, and the psychometric properties of the two scales were verified for validity and reliability.
 Results: The results showed that there is a medium level of communicative apprehension, and a high level of psychological loneliness, and that the dimensions of communicative apprehension predict an amount of (27%) of psychological loneliness, and that communicative apprehension is higher in males than in females. Based on the results of the study.
 Conclusions: The factors associated with communication apprehension and psychological loneliness in the elderly should be known, by studying different demographic variables.

DYNAMICS OF A FISHERY MODEL WITH CONTINUOUS THRESHOLD HARVESTING POLICY AND ITS LEVERAGE FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

There is a global decline in marine fish abundance due to unsustainable harvesting. An effective harvesting policy can protect the overfished population from possible extinction. In this study, we used a mathematical model characterized by density-dependent refuge protection for herbivorous fish, exhibiting an anti-predator response in presence of a generalist invasive fish. The anti-predator behavior entails predator density-dependent reduced fecundity of the herbivorous fish. The model assumes a continuous threshold harvesting policy (CTHP) for the herbivorous fish and uses the catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) hypothesis for harvesting the invasive fish. The CTHP allows harvesting of the herbivorous fish only when the density of the herbivorous fish exceeds a specified threshold value, thus ensuring the long-term sustainability of the herbivorous fish stock. The existence and stability of steady-state solutions and the bifurcations of the model are investigated. Our study reveals that the level of apprehension of the herbivorous fish and fishing efforts will play a significant role in the stability of the system. We examine the existence of the bionomic equilibrium and then study the dynamic optimization of the harvesting policy by employing Pontryagin’s maximum principle. We discuss different subsidies and tax policies for the effective management of a sustainable fishery. We use numerical simulations to compare the revenues corresponding to the harvest policies based on maximum sustainable yield (MSY), maximum economic yield (MEY), and optimal sustainable yield (OSY) for inferring an ecologically sustainable and economically viable harvesting policy.

Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem on the Relationship between Communication Anxiety and Academic Performance among Female Health College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Unprecedented quarantine due to COVID-19 exposes individuals to withdraw from face-to-face interactions, which may influence communication and self-esteem (SE). Therefore, the overarching aims of this study are to examine the communication apprehension levels among female college students, and thus to investigate the moderating role of self-esteem on the relationship between communication apprehension and academic achievement. In this cross-sectional study, 287 female college students completed the survey, which was circulated through email. The survey included the following questionnaires: General Health Characteristics, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Scale. The results showed that 28.2% of participants were categorized as having a high level of communication apprehension, and only 9.8% had a low level of communication apprehension. The SE reported an overall score of 24.3 ± 2.14, indicating a high self-esteem level among students. The students' grade point average (GPA) was positively correlated with SE. However, self-esteem as a moderator variable had no significant effect on the relationships between all predictors and GPA. The finding of the study highlights the need to implement different strategies to enhance students' group discussions, meetings, and interpersonal communication to ensure the best learning outcomes. Future studies are required to investigate gender-based disparities in the relationship between communication apprehension and SE.

EFFECTS OF STUDENTS' MAJORS AND LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES ON THEIR WRITING APPREHENSION IN THE COMPOSITION OF CLASSICAL CHINESE POETRY

Writing apprehension is one of the primary issues that impede students’ willingness to compose classical Chinese poetry. It refers to the negative and anxious feelings that undermine their self-confidence in fulfilling writing goals. This paper aims to measure the levels of writing apprehension of Chinese undergraduate students in the composition of classical Chinese poetry and explore whether majors, preferences of situated and sensory learning styles contribute to any significant differences in their writing apprehension levels. The potential factors that mainly influence their attitudes are also investigated. The respondents include 100 undergraduate students at the Guilin University of Electronic Technology in China. The quantitative findings firstly indicated that the students had a medium level of writing apprehension, and those who majored in Chinese were more anxious than those who majored in English. Secondly, students who preferred the tactile learning style had the lowest level of writing apprehension. However, there were no significant differences in their writing apprehension levels regarding majors and preferences of learning styles. Moreover, the qualitative findings suggested that the six factors that mainly led to the writing apprehension were: the choice of words and sentences, the expression of thoughts and emotions, the establishment of themes and subject matter, the selection of poetic templates, the creation of imagery and aesthetic conception and the use of artistic techniques. The results highlight the awareness and necessity of poetry writing instruction. It is recommended that similar research should be done on a larger scale in China.

Rapid Development and Testing of a COVID-19 Vaccine Curriculum for Pediatricians.

Background and ObjectivesAs the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic evolves and vaccines become available to children, pediatricians must navigate vaccination discussions in the setting of rapidly changing vaccine recommendations and approvals. We developed and evaluated an educational curriculum for pediatricians to improve their knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines and confidence in communicating with patients and families about COVID-19 vaccines.MethodsFive institutions collaborated to develop an online educational curriculum. Utilizing the collaboration's multidisciplinary expertise, we developed a 3-module curriculum focused on the SARS-CoV-2 virus and vaccine basics, logistics and administration of COVID-19 vaccine, and COVID-19 vaccine communication principles. Surveys administered to clinician participants before and after completion of the curriculum assessed knowledge and confidence; a follow-up survey 1 month after the post-survey assessed persistence of initial findings.ResultsA total of 152 pediatric providers participated; 72 completed both pre- and post-surveys. The median knowledge score improved from the pre-survey to the post-survey (79%–93%, P < .001). There was an increase in providers’ confidence after completing the curriculum, which persisted in the follow-up survey. In the post-survey, 98% of participants had had the opportunity to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine with patients, and most clinicians reported that the modules decreased apprehension some or significantly.ConclusionsThis project demonstrates rapid and feasible deployment of a curriculum providing up-to-date information to front-line clinicians responsible for having complex conversations about COVID-19 vaccine decision-making. Clinicians who completed this curriculum had sustained increased confidence and decreased levels of apprehension when discussing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Exploring EFL Learners’ Intercultural Sensitivity and Communication Apprehension

This study aimed to investigate the average level of intercultural sensitivity and communication apprehension of EFL teaching assistants learners. In addition to propose the correlation between intercultural sensitivity and communication apprehension. In this study, the researchers selected and applied the mixed-method research paradigm. According to the findings of the research, intercultural sensitivity and communication apprehension have some positive effects on the performance of EFL teaching assistants (TA). The correlation and recognition can be measurably important in the intercultural sensitivity and communication apprehension for social contrasts in the temporary workplace with a high level. Proposing collaboration and adaptability in intercultural sensitivity and communication apprehension with EFL teaching assistants (TA) in order to modify negative respect, enjoyment, and open-mindedness caused by cultural differences. This furthermore encompasses the ability to deal with the tension and anxiety that comes with situations characterized by cultural variances.

Perspectives of Parents regarding the Appropriateness of Physical Restraint Alone or in Conjunction with Sedative Techniques for Managing Challenging Pediatric Dental Behaviour

Purpose: A retrospective look at parents’ responses to having witnessed their children of varying levels of apprehension undergo sedative treatment visits across a 35 year period. Sedation visits with outcomes ranging from optimal or adequate, to inadequate and over-dosage, were assessed by both parents and their clinician. Methods: After witnessing their child’s visits, parents were asked if they would choose sedation for future visits under circumstances where outcomes cited need for persistent application of restraints vs more favorable outcomes. Post-treatment surveys of over 4,360 parents were conducted at the time of discharge after observing their children’s responses to oral sedation visits in a private practice setting. Variable dosing of Chloral hydrate-Hydroxyzine with and without Meperidine, and Midazolam with and without Meperidine were compared. Results: Not surprisingly, for parents where sedation was rated inadequate, 95% indicated they would likely opt for alternative modalities rather than subject their children to measures which ultimately necessitated persistent applications of restraint. Under circumstances where outcomes enabled treatment objectives to be accomplished without any form of restraint, parents correspondingly indicated they would have no reservation in accepting a pharmacological modality for future visits. Where transient application of physical restraint was needed to overcome minimally, moderately, or severely interfering behaviors, reactions were mixed among parents while clearly leaning in the direction of finding sedation desirable. Parents observing less than adequate success of sedation indicated they would consent to using sedation procedures for future visits only if it meant avoiding use of general anesthesia. Conclusion: Perceptions of parents where persistent application of restraints were needed found their use neither acceptable, appropriate nor desirable. There appears to be a trend in this direction amongst clinicians of today but in lieu of current practices which make little or no use of sedative modalities, this appears by no means universal.

An Evaluation of Turkish Nurses' Cultural Intelligence Levels and Intercultural Communication Apprehension.

This study aims to discuss cultural intelligence levels and intercultural communication apprehension of nurses. This study was designed as a descriptive and cross-sectional study, and it was conducted with 252 nurses working in a hospital in a south city of Turkey. The research data were collected via a "Personal Information Form" designed by the researchers, "The Cultural Intelligence Scale," and "The Intercultural Communication Apprehension Scale." It was concluded that nurses had moderate levels of cultural intelligence and intercultural communication apprehension, which were positively correlated (p < .001). Cultural intelligence levels and intercultural communication apprehension were further correlated with certain variables such as age, gender, job duration, foreign language proficiency, and their experiences in foreign countries (p < .05). In light of the results, it was suggested that moderate levels of intercultural communication apprehension can be a supportive factor in developing cultural intelligence. It was also added that preventing excessive intercultural communication apprehension and supporting nurses to improve language skills and to have abroad experience may be beneficial in developing cultural intelligence.

IDF21-0080 Determinants of acceptability to COVID-19 vaccine among the general public and diabetes population in Israel

Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant public health threat and catastrophic economic consequences around the world. Israel was one of the first countries to offer the innovative COVID-19 vaccine, a step that was accompanied with mixed reactions among the public, causing hesitancy and avoidance by many categorized at high risk for severe COVID-19 disease. Aim: To assess attitudes towards the new COVID-19 vaccine and willingness to get vaccinated among the general public and diabetes population. Method: Cross-sectional study conducted between December 15th and 20th, 2020. Research population included 807 Hebrew speaking Internet users in Israel aged 18 and over, where 503 of them represented the general population and 304 represented the diabetes population in the country. The study questionnaire referred to the worry to become infected in COVID-19, attitudes toward the vaccine and towards seasonal influenza vaccination. Multinomial logistic regression modelling was used for understanding the effect of research variables on willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Results: About 70% of diabetes population compared to 56% of the general public expressed high level of apprehension to become infected with coronavirus. The safety of the vaccine for people with background conditions was perceived higher among people with diabetes (41.1% vs. 30.0% of the general public). Willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was higher among people with diabetes (42% vs. 10% of the general public) while only 10.2% of people with diabetes noted that they are not going to get vaccinated, compared to 16.7% in the general public. All differences were significant (p<0.01). When asked about seasonal flu vaccination this year, 67% of people with diabetes responded positively in comparison to only 37% of the general public. In addition, significant gender differences in attitudes toward COVID-19 and toward vaccination against this disease were evident in both study populations, as women reported higher levels of apprehension from developing COVID-19 than men, lower level of confidence in the safety of the vaccine and lower level of willingness to get vaccinated against. Discussion: These results reflect on tendency of sub-populations and could direct campaign efforts in similar future events.