Levels Of Somatic Anxiety Research Articles

The Influence of Mother’s Personality on the Decision about the Elective Cesarean Section: A Pilot Study with a Sample of 16 New Mothers

Objective: To investigate the psychological profile of a sample of new mothers, who requested an elective caesarean section (CS), compared with a group of women who had a CS in emergency. Furthermore, the study examined psychiatric, environmental, medical and obstetrical risk factors related to the mother’s choice of an elective CS, in order to develop specific intervention strategies. Methods: A sample of 16 mothers aged 34.88 ± 8.53 years were enrolled and assessed using a semi-structured face-to-face interview, the Minnesota Personality Inventory Test-2 (MMPI-2) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The sample was divided in two groups: cases (8 women who had an elective CS) and controls (8 women who had a CS in emergency). Results: The analysis identified a statistical significance among the two groups with a higher prevalence in cases’s group of: previous mood disorders (100% of the cases group), maternal comorbidities (100% of the cases group), neuroticism (MMPI-2’s scale ‘NEGE’: p=0.013), ‘defensive’ attitude (MMPI-2’s scale ‘K’: p=0.013), hypochondria (MMPI-2’ scale ‘Hs’: p=0.046), health concerns (MMPI-2’s scale ‘Hea’: p=0.013) and depression (MMPI-2’s scales ‘D’: p=0.012 and ‘Dep’: p=0.023; EPDS’s scores: p=0.007), with a general tendency to have higher scores of psychopathology (p=0.033). No statistical significance was found concerning socio-demographic information and obstetrical risk factors. Conclusion: Women who chose CS without medical indications showed more somatic anxiety levels, expressed with a hypochondriac rumination and an obsessive way to control their body. This seems associated with more neuroticism and more symptoms of depression which may lead to a higher risk of develop postnatal depression. Gynaecologists should pay attention to the reasons behind the mother’s choice of an election CS by ensuring a detailed psychological counselling and try to mitigate levels of anxiety and fears related to the childbirth.

Can Learning the ISBARR Framework Help to Address Nursing Students' Perceived Anxiety and Confidence Levels Associated With Handover Reports?

Standardized communication frameworks are believed to help students feel more confident and less anxious about handover reports. One of the handover communication frameworks being used in nursing programs was the ISBARR framework (Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, and Repeat). The aim was to explore whether learning the ISBARR framework affected nursing students' perceived anxiety and confidence levels associated with handover reports. The study tested null hypotheses by analyzing pre- and posttest data collected with the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) survey. Three qualitative questions were included in the posttest to compare with the quantitative data. Statistical significance was set at p = .02. The results revealed that learning the framework had a strong effect in reducing the perceived somatic anxiety levels, a medium effect on increasing perceived confidence levels, and a medium effect in reducing the perceived cognitive anxiety levels. Findings suggested that learning the standardized framework may help to address students' perceived anxiety and confidence levels associated with handover reports and generate a mental picture of handover reports.

Investigating the Effect of Anxiety of Male and Female Iranian EFL Learners on their Writing Performance

In an attempt to delve into the issue of affective variables related to language learning, the present study focuses on the relationship between anxiety and writing performance across Iranian EFL learners with the effect of gender. To do so, Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI) developed by Cheng (2004) and writing performance test were applied to collect the data. 45 EFL learners were invited to participate in this study. T-test analysis revealed that significant difference was found in level of anxiety between male and female participants so that the male participants might experience relatively greater amount of anxiety. Additiontionally, the level of cognitive anxiety was higher in males. However, the level of somatic anxiety and avoidance behavior were not significantly different. Furthermore, significant differences were found in grammar and punctuation sub-scales of writing performance between male and female participants so that male was higher in two sub-scales than that of females. Various educational implications and recommendations for further works were proposed.

The Influence of Social Evaluative Threat on the Putting Stroke in Golf

The goal of this study was to examine the multi-level associations between state anxiety and various indicators of golf putting performance. Participants were 35 amateur golfers who completed golf putting tasks under a neutral condition followed by a social-evaluative condition. Participants were equipped with a highspeed infrared camera to measure various putting stroke parameters. Results of multilevel analyses indicated that the social-evaluative condition was associated with less putter rotation and quicker forward stroke times. A cross-level interaction indicated that golfers with low levels of somatic anxiety holed significantly more putts under pressure compared with baseline, whereas those with high levels of somatic anxiety did not. As well, a significant cross-level interaction indicated that high levels of cognitive anxiety were associated with slower back strokes under pressure. Results are discussed in terms of the complex interaction between psychological variables (i.e., state anxiety) and kinematic performance indicators.

COMPARISON OF SPORT COMPETITIVE ANXIETY LEVELS OF SAUDI ARABIAN NATIONAL TEAM ATHLETES WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES IN COMPETITIONS

ObjectiveThe purpose of the present study is to compare the individual differences in the levels of somatic anxiety, worry, and concentration disruption of Saudi Arabian national team with and without...

Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety Among Football Players of Different Ethnics Groups in Malaysia

Anxiety consists of cognitive and somatic components. The present study aims to examine the relationship with ethnic and anxiety. The sample consisted of 147 football players, with Malay (N=54), Chinese (N=45), Indian (N=31), and others (N=17). Competitive State Anxiety Inventory –2, used to collect the data. The result showed that Malay ethnic categories exhibited as higher levels of cognitive anxiety, whereas Indian ethnic exhibit a higher level of somatic anxiety. Coaches, sport psychologist and counselors should use this research to provide suitable coping strategies to Malays and Indians soccer athletes, to reduce anxiety and enhance their performance.

A mind-body approach for precompetitive anxiety in power-lifters: 2 case studies

Objective The aim of this article is to report how Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) was used for precompetitive anxiety in 2 power-lifting athletes. Clinical Features Two athletes (1 elite and 1 novice), who were participating in major competitions within 2 weeks of testing, were assessed for cognitive and somatic anxiety levels pre- and postintervention. Three psychometrics were used to measure mental state (cognitive anxiety): the Sports Competitive Anxiety Test, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and the SF-36v2 Health Survey. To assess somatic anxiety, saliva samples were collected and screened for cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone. Intervention and Outcome The intervention was performed by a doctor of chiropractic and consisted of one 30-minute session of NET that focused on the athletes' concerns regarding the upcoming competitions. The results showed reductions in reported subjective anxiety levels and changes in the salivary hormone profile of both athletes following the intervention, with the more remarkable changes occurring in the novice athlete. The reduction in reported cognitive anxiety levels and the change in somatic anxiety markers may be the result of the mind-body intervention. However, these changes may also be attributed to other factors, such as the natural course of anxiety during competition. An experimental trial would be required to determine the effectiveness of NET for reducing precompetitive anxiety of power-lifters. Conclusion Neuro Emotional Technique may have helped these power-lifters control emotional arousal and precompetitive anxiety. However, caution is warranted when using these results to draw conclusions or when extrapolating these results to other settings.

Avoidant instructions induce ironic and overcompensatory movement errors differently between and within individuals

Giving avoidant instructions can ironically result in the forbidden act being carried out, especially when the person is anxious or cognitive loaded. However, the consistency with which individuals make ironic errors across conditions remains unexamined. Forty participants were instructed to avoid moving a cursor above, below, left, and right when tracing an invisible line connecting two points while rehearsing seven-digit numbers on half of trials. Results showed that, without cognitive load, 26 participants made consistent overcompensatory movements, 10 made consistent ironic errors, and 4 showed no distinct error bias, with levels of somatic anxiety predicting this pattern. However, 21 (52.5%) participants changed their error tendency when cognitive loaded, indicating that movement effects of avoidant instruction were not experienced as general phenomena but rather differed between and within individuals. Overcompensatory errors made by participants grouped as overcompensatory performers under low load were significantly larger than the ironic errors made by participants grouped as ironic performers under low load, yet, paradoxically, ironic performers reported higher state and trait anxiety. Overall, results demonstrate a clear experimenter bias inherent in the use of avoidant instructions to direct participants' motor control.

Pre-performance psychological states and performance in an elite climbing competition

The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between pre-performance psychological states and expert performance in non-traditional sport competition. Nineteen elite male sport climbers (M=24.6, SD=4.0 years of age) completed the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule before an international rock climbing competition. Climbing performances were video-recorded to calculate movement fluency (entropy) and obtain ascent times. Official route scores were also obtained. Successful climbers reported higher pre-performance levels of somatic anxiety and climbed the most difficult part of the route more slowly than their unsuccessful counterparts. The psychological states preceding elite climbing competition appeared to be an important factor in determining success, even when differences in baseline ability were taken into account.

Pre-competitive levels of arousal and self-confidence among elite and non-elite equestrian riders

Research into other sports has shown that excessive levels of anxiety can undermine motor function during performance. This study aims to investigate the effects of anxiety and self-confidence on equestrian performance. Forty riders (12 male, 28 female; 15 elite, 25 non-elite; 12 dressage, 17 showjumping, 11 eventing) completed the Revised Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory 2 (CSAI-2R), which measures the levels of somatic and cognitive anxiety (arousal) as well as levels of self-confidence. Two-way between-subjects MANOVA tests were used to examine competence-by-discipline interactions and gender-by-discipline interactions in CSAI-2R scores. Post hoc analysis was conducted using one-way univariate ANOVA tests. Spearman's rank correlation tests were conducted between each of the CSAI-2R subscales according to competence, discipline and gender. Most important findings include lower somatic arousal and higher self-confidence in elite compared with non-elite riders, with 15.2 ± 4.4 vs. 19.0 ± 5.0, F1,34 = 5.8, P < 0.05; 31.5 ± 4.8 vs. 25.1 ± 7.4, P < 0.01, respectively. Negative correlations between cognitive arousal and self-confidence were found among elite riders, non-elite riders, showjumpers and female riders (r = − 0.69, P < 0.005; r = − 0.41, P < 0.05; r = − 0.52, P < 0.05; r = − 0.33, P < 0.05). Greater riding-specific skills in the elite rider may result in increased self-confidence. Lower levels of somatic anxiety may further increase fine motor skills in elite riders. Practical implications are that non-elite riders would benefit from sport psychological interventions increasing levels of self-confidence and reducing symptoms of somatic arousal to improve performance.

Competitive experience and performance status: an investigation into multidimensional anxiety and coping

In this study, we examined the influence of competitive experience (high vs. low) and performance status (current-elite vs. past-elite) upon athletes’ (N=217) multidimensional trait anxiety, self-confidence, and coping responses. Significant interaction effects showed that the current-elite group, with high experience, had the highest levels of self-confidence and most facilitative interpretation of worry symptoms. Independent variable analysis revealed that the high-experience group reported lower somatic anxiety levels than their low-experience counterparts, and viewed the use of problem- and avoidance-focused coping strategies as more and less effective respectively. Current-elite performers reported lower worry intensity and more facilitative interpretations of somatic anxiety than the past-elite performers, as well as the use of more effective problem-focused and positive emotion-focused coping. The findings highlight competitive experience and performance status as important variables in the study of multidimensional anxiety and coping.

Competitive Anxiety in Lifesavers and Swimmers

This study examined state and trait anxiety in lifesavers and swimmers. They completed the SAS and the CSAI-2d before a training and the CSAI-2d again before a competition. Lifesavers were found to have lower levels of cognitive and somatic anxiety than competitive swimmers. Both groups were found to have lower levels of self-confidence but higher levels of somatic anxiety before a competition in comparison to regular training sessions. Lifesavers found their levels of somatic anxiety to be more facilitative than the swimmers did. Both groups perceived that higher levels of self-confidence to be more facilitative before competition than before training. Difference in the relationship between state and trait anxiety for swimmers and lifesavers were observed. The generally lower levels of cognitive and somatic state anxiety in lifesavers and their interpretation of somatic anxiety during competition would benefit their performance and decision making.

Is Self-Confidence a Bias Factor in Higher-Order Catastrophe Models? An Exploratory Analysis

This paper examines Hardy’s (1990, 1996a) proposition that self-confidence might act as the bias factor in a butterfly catastrophe model of stress and performance. Male golfers (N = 8) participated in a golf tournament and reported their cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, and self-confidence prior to their tee shot on each hole. All anxiety, self-confidence, and performance scores were standardized within participants in order to control for individual differences. The data were then collapsed across participants and categorized into a high self-confidence condition and a low self-confidence condition by means of a median split. A series of two-way (Cognitive Anxiety × Somatic Anxiety) ANOVAs was conducted on each self-confidence condition in order to fag where the maximum Cognitive Anxiety × Somatic Anxiety interaction effect size lay along the somatic anxiety axis. These ANOVAs revealed that the maximum interaction effect size between cognitive and somatic anxiety was at a higher level of somatic anxiety for the high self-confidence condition than for the low self-confidence condition, thus supporting the moderating role of self-confidence in a catastrophe model framework.

Anxiety as a predictor of response to interpersonal psychotherapy for recurrent major depression: An exploratory investigation

Major depression and anxiety frequently co-occur, but the implications for psychological treatments have rarely been studied. We examined predictors of acute response to interpersonal psychotherapy in 134 consecutively treated female outpatients with recurrent unipolar depression. Women who failed to remit with interpersonal psychotherapy alone experienced higher levels of somatic anxiety, were more likely to meet criteria for lifetime panic disorder, were more likely to meet criteria for nonendogenous or nonmelancholic depression, and reported greater vocational impairment, higher levels of global severity, a longer duration of the index episode, and, somewhat surprisingly, lower levels of social impairment at pretreatment evaluation. A series of backwards stepping logistic regression analyses showed higher levels of baseline somatic anxiety and social functioning to be the most consistent predictors of nonresponse. Our findings strengthen existing evidence that concomitant anxiety can adversely affect the outcome of interpersonal therapy for depression.

A comparative study on occupational stress, job satisfaction and mental health in British general practitioners and Canadian family physicians

This paper attempts to compare job stress, job satisfaction and mental health of general practitioners (GPs) in England (n = 380) and family physicians in Toronto, Canada (n = 131) from a questionnaire study. British GPs experienced less job satisfaction, poorer mental health and significantly greater pressure at work than did their Canadian counterparts. British male GPs were more depressed and had higher levels of somatic anxiety than the Canadian doctors. It was also found that alcohol consumption by British GPs was higher in comparison with Canadian doctors. This finding suggests that specific stress management programmes for doctors need to be initiated and evaluated. The results should be interpreted with caution as the study is based on a small sample of Canadian doctors limited to the Toronto area only, which limits the generalizability of the findings. However, it does provide information which has important implications for the well-being of doctors.

Stress and the new contract for general practitioners

The impact of a major organizational change on general practitioners in the UK was assessed using a postal questionnaire during July‐August 1990. The results were compared with those obtained in a previous survey in November 1987. A total of 917 (61 per cent response rate) general practitioners completed the questionnaire measuring aspects of the job causing stress, job satisfaction and mental wellbeing. Compared with 1987, doctors in 1990 experienced significantly decreased levels of job satisfaction and reported levels of somatic anxiety and depression were higher. The stress associated with the demands of the job and patients′ expectations, practice administration and routine medical work, role stress and the use of social support as a coping strategy were the strongest predictors of job dissatisfaction and poor psychological wellbeing.