Fear Reduction Research Articles

FEAR OF COVID-19, POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH AND ACADEMIC MOTIVATIONS OF STUDENTS CLINICAL PRACTICING DURING THE PANDEMIC: CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Aim: This cross-sectional, prospective study examines the effects of clinical practice during the pandemic on university students’ fear related COVID-19, post-traumatic growth and academic motivation. Methods: A total of 110 students (third year 62, fourth year 48) from a state university were included. In the study, the sample size was not calculated and it was aimed to reach all students. Data were collected through online surveys using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) and Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Descriptive statistics, t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank test and pearson/spearman correlation tests were used for analyses. Results: A notable change was observed in the FCV-19 scores assessments of the students when comparing pre-clinical and post-clinical training (p<0.05). However, no marked change was noted in the PTGI assessments in the corresponding timeframe (p>0.05). A significant positive correlation existed between FCV-19S and PTGI scores before clinical practice (p<0.05), yet no such relationship was found with PTGI and AMS sub-dimensions. Midwifery students commenced their clinical practice amidst the pandemic with elevated levels of COVID-19 fear but concluded the experience with a significant reduction in fear and positive psychological changes. Conclusion: These findings underscore the students’ patience and adaptability in facing pandemic-induced stress. Moreover, the stability in academic motivation levels reflects their continued commitment to their educational processes and determination to provide healthcare during the pandemic. This study highlights the critical importance of educational and psychological support systems in the face of global health crises.

An Analysis of Approaches to Reduction of HIV Stigma across the World through educational interventions: A Scoping Review.

To determinate the educational interventions for reducing the stigma caused by HIV worldwide. This scoping review study analyzed all papers published from early 2000 to the end of 2022 by searching all the scientific databases, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and CINHAL. The quality assessment of the papers was done using the ROBIS tool checklist. 31papers were admitted to the scoping review process. Stigma reduction intervention was founded on three parts: Society, health and therapeutic services providers, and the patients who had HIV and their families. The interventions included education on the reduction of fear, and shame, observation of protective standards, conducting tests and treatment at the above levels, as well as the support provided by the society, policymakers, religious leaders and families of patients in economic, psychological and cultural terms, together with the establishment of social centres and organization of campaigns. The stigma associated with HIV is a significant obstacle before treatment, life expectancy and living quality of patients. Therefore, the stigma associated with this disease can be reduced, and the living quality of patients can be raised using approaches such as education of healthcare service providers and afflicted people, as well as economic, social, cultural, and psychological support.

Overcoming Stigma: The Human Side of Monkeypox Virus.

Monkeypox(Mpox) virus is a zoonotic disease that was recently declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO). Symptoms of Mpox include fever, headache, muscle pain, and a rash which starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. The stigma surrounding the Mpox virus has been one of the greatest challenges in dealing with the disease. People with Mpox have been often shunned by their communities, and many are afraid to seek medical care for fear of ostracism. For those affected by the virus, this stigma can significantly impact their mental health and quality of life. It is further fueled by misinformation and societal norms. Hence, a multifaceted approach that includes education, awareness campaigns, and community engagement is needed to overcome the stigma associated with Mpox. Effective communication strategies are critical to the dispelling of rumors and the reduction of fear. Interventional measures need to be shaped according to the needs of those affected.

Single session of interpretation bias modification helped to improve fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19-related post-traumatic stress symptoms

BackgroundPost-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are frequently observed in those who have experienced trauma events like the COVID-19 outbreak. The cognitive model of PTSS highlights the relationship between PTSS and negative...

Hen's egg ladder: Therapy option for the gradual introduction of hen's eggs in cases of hen's egg allergy.

More than 10 years ago, the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) published guidelines for the management of egg allergy [1]. For the first time, these included a stepwise plan for the reintroduction of egg for egg-allergic children who could already tolerate well-cooked egg, such as cakes and cookies. Since then, various egg ladders have been developed [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. In the past 3 years, several studies have been published suggesting that a gradual introduction of highly processed to less processed egg containing foods contribute to the acceleration of tolerance development [2, 3, 4, 5]. However, depending on the study and egg ladder, the egg products vary in their level of processing (wheat matrix, degree, and location of heating (e.g., oven, pan, pot), egg quantity, and egg protein). In the UK, the introduction of the egg ladder is recommended at the age of 12 months or if the last reaction occurred 6 months before. The benefits of introducing egg at home include an early increase in the variety of foods, reduction of food fears, improved nutrient intake, and the avoidance of hospitalization fears in children [10]. Children with mild reactions in the past can start with small amounts of baked goods at home. Food challenges in an inpatient setting to exclude or reconfirm the allergy should be conducted if the patients have previously had severe allergic reactions, i.e., anaphylaxis, or if the smallest amounts triggered an allergic reaction or if existing asthma is poorly controlled [10, 11]. The present work includes, in addition to the evaluation of study results, a presentation of the recent studies regarding egg ladders. From these, a new egg ladder as therapeutic option for the German-speaking region has been developed. As already done for the milk ladder a detailed step-by-step plan, selection criteria, a recipe collection, and also ideas for commercial prepackaged food items can be found in the appendices [11].

Leveraging technology to increase the disseminability of evidence-based treatment of dental fear: An uncontrolled pilot study.

U.S. and global estimates indicate that over 30% of adults fear receiving dental care, including over 20% who have visited a dentist in the last year, leading to avoidance and degraded oral and systemic health. Although evidence-based cognitive-behavioral treatments for dental fear (CBT-DF) exist, they have little impact on the millions who seek dental care annually because they are not disseminable (6 h of in-chair time, delivered only in person at a few sites). We developed a disseminable CBT-DF stepped-care treatment comprising (Step 1) a mobile-health application and, for those who remain fearful, (Step 2) a 1-h, one-on-one psychological treatment session that allows practice during exposure to the patient's most-feared stimuli. We hypothesized that the treatment would (a) be rated highly on usability and credibility and (b) result in clinically consequential (i.e., lowering fear into the 0-3 "no/low fear" zone) and statistically significant changes in global dental fear. Racially/ethnically diverse patients (N = 48) with moderate to severe dental fear were recruited; all completed Step 1, and n = 16 completed Step 2. As hypothesized, users found the stepped-care treatment highly usable, credible, and helpful. Critically, this stepped-care approach produced reductions in patients' dental fear that were both clinically consequential (with half no longer fearful) and statistically significant (d = 1.11). This usable, credible, stepped-care approach to dental fear treatment holds promise for liberating evidence-based CBT-DF from specialty clinics, allowing broad dissemination.

Functional or financial remedies? The effectiveness of recovery strategies after a data breach

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relative effectiveness of functional and financial remedies in influencing customers' negative coping responses in the event of a data breach. It also uncovers the different mediating roles played by customers' feelings of anger and fear in the process of data breach recovery. This study thus differs from the literature, which has primarily focused on the impact of financial compensation and apologies for service failures in face-to-face environments.Design/methodology/approachTwo scenario-based experiments were conducted to empirically validate the model. The authors received 302 copies of the questionnaire, of which 269 were valid.FindingsThis study finds that functional remedies are more effective than financial remedies when sensitive information has been compromised, but there is no significant difference between the effectiveness of the two remedies when nonsensitive information has been compromised. In addition, functional remedies influence negative coping behaviors directly and indirectly; the indirect effect is achieved through the reduction of fear and anger. Contrary to the authors' expectation, financial remedies do not have a direct effect on negative coping behaviors; they can indirectly affect negative coping behaviors by reducing anger but do not affect negative coping behaviors by reducing fear.Practical implicationsThis study provides key insights into how to manage customer reactions in the event of a data breach, suggesting the use of carefully designed recovery strategies. Companies must attend to customers' specific emotional responses to manage their negative coping behaviors.Originality/valueThis study extends the limited literature on data breach recovery actions by investigating the different effectiveness of functional and financial remedies in the event of a data breach. It also uncovers how functional and financial recovery strategies affect customers' negative coping behaviors by revealing the different mediating effects of fear and anger.

Reducing fear and avoidance of memory loss improves mood and social engagement in community-based older adults: a randomized trial

BackgroundAlzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are among the most feared age-related conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate a brief psychological intervention to promote adaptive coping in older adults experiencing heightened fear of ADRD and investigate positive downstream effects on health-related secondary outcomes, including frequency of reported memory failures, psychosocial functioning, and quality of life.MethodsEighty-one older adults were recruited and randomized into REFRAME or active control intervention arms. Both groups received psycho-education and training in mindful monitoring of fears related to ADRD. The REFRAME group received an additional behavioral activation component intended to disrupt maladaptive avoidant coping (i.e., avoidance) strategies. Both groups completed 3-weeks of intervention exercises with accompanying questionnaires (baseline, mid- and post-intervention and 4-week follow-up).ResultsAdherence was strong (> 75%). We observed a significant reduction in ADRD-related fear and avoidance in both groups. Significant reductions were also observed for frequency of self-reported memory failures, anxiety, and depression. Depression was significantly reduced in the REFRAME group compared to the control group. Significant increases in participants’ ability to participate in social activities and well-being were also observed.ConclusionsFindings suggest that a brief psychological intervention can mitigate ADRD-related fears and avoidant coping in older adults, and that benefits extend to broader health-related outcomes including anxiety, depression, social functioning, and well-being. Addressing ADRD-related fear has implications for healthy aging and risk reduction, as individuals may be more likely to engage in activities that are protective against ADRD but were previously avoided.Trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04821960.

Implementation feasibility of animal-assisted therapy in a pediatric intensive care unit: effectiveness on reduction of pain, fear, and anxiety

Animal-assisted therapies are an innovative strategy within health care humanization initiatives, and they could play a role in the reduction of pain or anxiety. The main objective of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of implementing animal-assisted therapy in a pediatric intensive care unit and its effectiveness for the reduction of pain, fear, and anxiety. A prospective, quasi-experimental study of animal-assisted therapy was designed in the pediatric intensive care unit of the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre of Madrid, from January 2019 to December 2019. The study sample included patients who had been admitted to the unit and were over 3 years old. Satisfaction surveys were collected from the patients, family, and health personnel involved. Physiological variables and the level of pain (visual analog scale or Wong-Baker scale), fear (Child Medical Fear Scale), and anxiety (modified Yale Preoperatory Anxiety Scale) were evaluated before and after each session. Any existence of adverse events was recorded. A total of 74 therapy sessions were performed on 61 patients. All sessions were completed without any adverse effects. A total of 164 surveys were collected, providing an overall project rating of 9.69 out of a possible 10. The survey comments were found to be positive in most cases. No differences were found in the physiological variables measured before and after each session. There was a statistically significant decrease in pain, fear, and anxiety levels (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The implementation of an animal-assisted therapy project in a pediatric intensive care unit is feasible and safe and has a high degree of acceptance among both participants and healthcare staff. Animal-assisted therapy is effective for the reduction of pain, fear, and anxiety, and therefore, it could be considered an adjunct to non-pharmacological therapy.What is Known:• Animal assisted therapies (AAT) are an innovative strategy that could be beneficial to help pediatrics patients cope with admission difficulties and could even play a role in reducing pain, anxiety and/or delirium.• To date there are not studies to analyze the effectiveness of AAT in the field of Pediatric Intesive Care.What is New:• Our study confirms the feasibility and effectiveness of the implementation of an AAT in the field of Pediatric Intensive Care with a high degree of acceptance by participants, caregivers and healthcare personnel.• AAT demonstrated a reduction in pain, fear and anxiety in pediatrics patients admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Effect of Yoga Therapy with Ayurvedic Diet on Sleep Quality Among Aged Insomniac Women

This study investigates the impact of a holistic approach combining Yoga therapy and Ayurvedic dietary interventions on sleep quality in aged women suffering from insomnia. A single group study was conducted, involving aged women (age range: 60 to 70years) diagnosed with insomnia based on standardized assessment criteria. The intervention group attended supervised Yoga sessions six times a week for 12 weeks, complemented by personalized Ayurvedic dietary recommendations. The primary outcome measure was sleeping quality, assessed using standardized sleep quality indice, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), administered at baseline and post-intervention (12 weeks). Secondary outcome measure was anxiety and fear acessed by VAS (Visual Analog Scale). Preliminary results indicate a significant improvement in sleep quality in the intervention group, as evidenced by reductions in ISI scores, anxiety and fear (p &lt; 0.001). These results imply that the integration of Yoga therapy with Ayurvedic dietary practices can have a positive and long-lasting impact on quality of sleep and general wellbeing in aged women with insomnia. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential benefits of a holistic approach to addressing insomnia in aged women, emphasizing the role of complementary therapies such as Yoga and Ayurvedic dietary interventions in improving sleep quality and enhancing overall quality of life. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects and mechanisms underlying these positive outcomes.

The impact environmental variance in waiting rooms has on the expression of fear in canine patients

Canine patients commonly express fear-related behaviour while in practice. Prior research predominately focuses on the efficacy of interventions, such as dog appeasing pheromone, often without consideration for surroundings. This study aimed to identify and evaluate the influence environmental factors in the waiting room may have on the expression of fear-related behaviours in canine patients visiting a veterinary practice. Convenience sampling was used to test a canine sample population of 54 dogs (aged 1–10 years old) across 5 different practices. Patient behaviour was observed pre- and post-consultation during the period of time patients were in the waiting room. Analysis of these data demonstrated a significant reduction in fear during the post-consultation phase (Z=-3.821, P&lt;0.001). Environmental aspects of each practice were scored and analysed against behavioural data, demonstrating weak negative correlation (rs=-0.27, P=0.050) between environmental scores and pre-consultation behaviour scores. A weak positive correlation (rs=0.28, P=0.035) between slippery flooring and increased fear was also found. Negative aspects of the environment such as flooring, noise and footfall should be considered and manipulated where possible to promote positive patient experiences. Further research should use a stratified sampling method to ensure variance between patients and practice designs. This research has provided proof of concept for this methodology and field of enquiry, providing scope for further research of this kind on a larger sample population of practices and patients.

"Mind" versus "Body" in Mild Cognitive Impairment Rehabilitation: Does a Multicomponent Physical Exercise Program Have a Dichotomous Effect on Cognitive Functions and Physical Performance?

In the relevant study by Boulares and colleagues, the importance of a multicomponent physical activity program in improving balance skills and leading to falling risk and fear reduction in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is highlighted, despite the lack of cognitive effects. Given this apparent discrepancy between "body" and "mind" in MCI rehabilitation, the present commentary faces and discusses these findings within the existing literature and poses the question whether there were actually no cognitive results or if the program design and evaluation tool used were not sensitive enough to detect them, at least at this stage.

Mechanisms of action underlying virtual reality exposure treatment in spider phobia: Pivotal role of within-session fear reduction

Although virtual-reality exposure treatment (VRET) for anxiety disorders is an efficient treatment option for specific phobia, mechanisms of action for immediate and sustained treatment response need to be elucidated. Towards this aim, core therapy process variables were assessed as predictors for short- and long-term VR treatment outcomes. In a bi-centric study, n = 186 patients with spider phobia completed a baseline-assessment, a one-session VRET, a post-therapy assessment, and a 6-month-follow-up assessment (ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03208400). Short- and long-term outcomes regarding self-reported symptoms in the spider phobia questionnaire (SPQ) and final patient-spider distance in the behavioral avoidance test (BAT) were predicted via logistic regression models with the corresponding baseline score, age, initial fear activation, within-session fear reduction and fear expectancy violation as predictors. To predict long-term remission status at 6-month-follow-up, dimensional short-term changes in the SPQ and BAT were additionally included. Higher within-session fear reductions predicted better treatment outcomes (long-term SPQ; short- and long-term BAT). Lower initial fear activation tended to be associated with better long-term outcomes (SPQ), while fear expectancy violation was not associated with any outcome measure. Short-term change in the SPQ predicted remission status. Findings highlight that in VRET for spider phobia, the experience of fear reduction is central for short- and long-term treatment success and should be focused by therapists.

OR17-01 Novel Provocation Test With MDMA (‘Ecstasy’) Reveals Oxytocin Deficiency As A New Pituitary Entity In Patients With Central Diabetes Insipidus - A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Abstract Disclosure: C. Atila: None. F. Holze: None. R. Murugesu: None. N. Rommers: None. N. Hutter: None. N. Varghese: None. C.O. Sailer: None. A. Eckert: None. M. Heinrichs: None. M. Liechti: None. M. Christ-crain: None. Introduction: Despite adequate treatment, patients with arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D), known as central diabetes insipidus (cDI), often report psychological symptoms such as heightened anxiety levels, difficulties describing emotions, and depressed mood. Given the anatomical proximity, disruptions of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis causing an AVP-D could also disturb the oxytocin (OXT) system. OXT regulates socio-emotional functioning, including fear reduction, attachment, emotion recognition, and empathy. Therefore, these psychological symptoms may be caused by an additional OXT deficiency. However, OXT deficiency has not been established as a pituitary entity, as no provocation test for OXT is currently available. Here, we aimed to investigate the OXT system stimulator 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) as a novel biochemical and psychoactive provocation test to reveal an OXT deficiency in patients with cDI. Methods: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over study in 15 patients with cDI and 15 matched healthy controls. Participants underwent a psychological baseline evaluation, including the assessment of anxiety levels using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), mood using the Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), and alexithymia using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS). Participants were randomized to receive either a single oral dose of MDMA (100 mg) or placebo first. OXT samples were collected at 0, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 300 minutes after drug intake. Subjective effects in response to MDMA were assessed throughout the experiment. The primary outcome was the area under the plasma OXT concentration curve (AUC) after MDMA intake. Results: Already at baseline, patients compared with healthy controls, showed significantly higher scores in anxiety (STAI: 41 points [IQR 34-48] vs. 28 points [24-31]; p=0.02), alexithymia (TAS: 47 points [38-59] vs. 30 points [29-37; p=0.04), and depression symptoms (BDI: 6 points [3-17] vs. 1 point [0-2]; p=0.04). In response to MDMA stimulation, in patients, there was only a minimal OXT change with 66 pg/ml [16-94], while in healthy controls, OXT increased by 658 pg/ml [355-914]. The AUC was 15.8 times (1485%), i.e., 85,678 pg/ml (95%-CI [-10,800 to -63,356], p&amp;lt;0.001), lower in patients compared with healthy controls. This lack of OXT in patients was associated with lower subjective effects such as ‘good drug effect,’ ‘feeling high,’ ‘satisfaction,’ ‘happy,’ ‘trust,’ ‘talkative,’ ‘openness,’ and ‘fear reduction’ compared with healthy controls. Conclusion: These results lay the groundwork for OXT deficiency as a hypothalamic-pituitary entity. In patients with cDI, this lack in OXT was associated with reduced pro-social, empathic, and anxiolytic effects. Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023

시민들의 CPTED 인식과 범죄두려움의 관계에서 무질서 인식의 매개효과

This study aims to verify the mediating effect of disorder perception in the relationship between citizens' perception of CPTED and fear of crime in 539 citizens living in Seoul. Specifically, in this study, the concept about perception of CPTED was operationalized into territoriality, surveillance, and activity support, and the effect of these variables on crime fear was individually verified. And based on previous studies related to differences in fear of crime according to gender, the relationship between perception of CPTED, disorder perception, and fear of crime was more clearly verified through multi-group analysis of two groups, men and women.&#x0D; First, in the case of men, activity support completely mediated perception of disorder, statistically significantly predicting reduction in general and specific fear of crime. In addition, in the case of women, it was found that perception of disorder completely mediated the relationship between activity support and general fear of crime. Second, in the case of women, the partial mediating effect of perception of disorder has been verified in the relationship between surveillance and general, specific fear of crime. Third, in the case of women, territoriality completely mediated perception of disorder, statistically significantly explaining the reduction in specific fear of crime.&#x0D; In this study, the relationship between CPTED perception, disorder perception, and fear of crime was verified in detail and accurately by dividing the sample based on gender. Also based on the results, empirical evidence was presented that activation of CPTED policies could reduce fear of crime among citizens. In addition, this study is significant in that it presents policy suggestions for the CPTED project, which is currently being used in various directions, based on these grounds.

The impact of nature-based solutions on perceptions of safety in public space

Concerns around personal safety in public spaces constrain citizens' time-space access to opportunities of employment, schooling, socializing, and recreation. One widely promoted strategy for reducing fear of crime is through the transformation of the built environment. While policy efforts have focused on creating urban environments that target the conscious experience of fear of crime, Schachter-Singer's Two Factor Theory proposes that alterations of a person's emotional physiological expression could also reduce the emotional experience of fear. This study explores whether Nature-Based Solutions [NBSs] – a strategy that reduces the emotional expression of stress – can lead to reductions in fear of crime, and how this approach compares with two widely used criminology strategies tackling the emotional experience – Broken Windows Theory [BWT] and Eyes on the Street [EOS]. To test this, an image-based randomized control trial with 494 participants was conducted in 2021. Randomly assigned control and treatment images simulating each built environment strategy were viewed and ranked by participants according to perceived safety. The findings of this study suggest that all built environment strategies significantly increase the perception of safety in public spaces. NBSs are shown to be effective built environment strategies for increasing perceived safety, with an effect comparable to the experience-focused EOS and BWT strategies. Our results suggest that NBSs should be included as part of the safety-enhancing urban policy toolkit.

Efficiency of Printed Patient Information Leaflets Written for Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty Patients to Reduce Their Fear of Surgery.

Background: Patient education plays a key role in health care. In our study, we created a new information guide for patients waiting for total knee (TKA) or hip (THA) arthroplasty. The goal of our study was to create patient education material that would reduce patients' fear of surgery and improve their postoperative lifestyle. Methods: Patients in the intervention group (n = 44) received newly developed paper-based patient education material before surgery. The surgical fear questionnaire (SFQ) was used to assess fear reduction. A self-designed assessment questionnaire was used to measure the effectiveness of the leaflet among the intervention group patients. Results: The SFQ scores decreased significantly both in patients with TKA (median 37.50 IQR 30.00-40.00 vs. median 20.00 IQR 16.00-24.00) and THA (median 34.50 IQR 28.00-42.00 vs. median 20.00 IQR 16.00-22.00). A control group with TKA (median 37.50 IQR 30.00-40.00 vs. median 64.50 IQR 54.00-82.00) and THA (median 34.50 IQR 28.00-42.00 vs. median 73.00 IQR 56.00-81.00) was also included. An assessment of the content, usability, and clarity of the new leaflet showed that patients rated the new leaflet as almost entirely usable (median score 12.00-10.00). Conclusions: Our results suggest that new printed patient education material may reduce the fear of surgery.

Social avoidance and testosterone enhanced exposure efficacy in women with social anxiety disorder: A pilot investigation

Social avoidance has been associated with more persistent social anxiety disorder (SAD) symptoms and low testosterone levels in individuals with SAD. We tested whether pre-treatment avoidance tendencies moderate the efficacy of testosterone-augmented exposure therapy. Fifty-five females with SAD received two exposure sessions during which fear levels were assessed. Session 1 was augmented with testosterone (0.50 mg) or placebo. Avoidance tendencies and symptom severity were assessed pre- and post-exposure. Participants showed stronger avoidance for social versus non-social stimuli and this tendency remained stable over time. Stronger pretreatment avoidance tendencies were associated with larger fear reduction in the testosterone but not the placebo condition. This effect did not transfer to the second non-enhanced session or symptom severity. The findings support the hypothesis that individuals suffering from SAD with relatively stronger pretreatment avoidance tendencies benefit more from testosterone-augmentation, pointing to a potential behavioral marker for testosterone enhancement of exposure therapy.

How Fear Training and Other Unique Training Methods Help South Korea Maintain Dominance in Archery?

In the modern day, South Korea is the most successful country in archery at the Olympics. The South Korean Women’s team is particularly known for their legendary record of gold at every Olympic Games since 1988. This success is not mere luck, however, as the South Korean archery team goes through much more rigorous and unique training compared to other countries. For one, archery is more widespread in Korea, allowing more people to try out the sport. The school system set in place in South Korea encourages the development of archers at a young age, which ultimately leads to more and more South Koreans pursuing archery as a career. In addition, the South Korean archery team goes through unique forms of training, such as mindfulness training, exposure therapy, heart rate analysis, equipment optimization through shooting robots, and general sports psychology techniques like positive self-talk and imagery. All of these training methods provide South Korean archers with benefits such as increased confidence, reduction of fear, higher concentration and focus levels, as well as superior insight into how their shot goes through. South Korea’s long success in archery is backed up by South Korea’s intense dedication to their training, through their long hours, as well as their commitment to go through various forms of unique training to improve.

Integrating Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy With Compassion-Focused Therapy for the Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder: An Evidence-Based Case Study

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for social anxiety disorder that has been found to elicit significant changes in process-based mechanisms (e.g., emotion regulation strategies), which subsequently lead to reductions in social anxiety and associated functional impairment; however, CBT may be less effective for socially anxious individuals experiencing high self-criticism and low self-compassion. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) has been used to address these tendencies in socially anxious individuals, but research in this area is limited. The present case study examined changes in social anxiety symptoms, self-compassion, emotion regulation strategies, and functional impairment throughout the course of treatment with a young, Chinese American woman using a novel integration of CBT and CFT for social anxiety disorder. The client experienced significant reductions in social anxiety and functional impairment across treatment, which was accompanied by reductions in fear and avoidance ratings for feared social scenarios. Significant mechanistic changes were also observed, including decreases in maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (i.e., suppression, rumination) and increases in self-compassion and adaptive emotion regulation strategies (i.e., expressive engagement, cognitive reappraisal). Findings support the efficacy of integrating compassion-focused strategies with CBT for social anxiety for a young adult with prominent tendencies of self-criticism and low self-compassion.