Worry Status Research Articles

Investigation of the relationship between nursing students' knowledge level of paediatric emergency practices and paediatric comfort and worry

AimThis study aimed to examine the relationship between nursing students' knowledge level of paediatric emergency practices and their clinical comfort and worry status. MethodsA cross-sectional correlational design was used. Data was collected using the “Personal Information Form,” “Paediatric Nursing Student Clinical Comfort and Worry Assessment Tool,” and “Paediatric Emergency Practices Information Questionnaire. ResultsThe nursing students' knowledge level of paediatric emergency practices was good (14.76 ± 2.67/2–20). Their level of worry in paediatric services was above average (14.14 ± 4.8/5–25), while their paediatric clinical comfort level was at an average level (17.61 ± 3.72/10–30). It was found that as the nursing students' knowledge level of paediatric emergency practices increased, their comfort in paediatric clinics improved (r = 0.11, p = 0.003), and their worry levels decreased (r = −0.382, p < 0.001). Variables such as knowing the emergency number to call in case of poisoning and taking the child to a health facility after an electric shock contributed to the students' clinical comfort and worry (p < 0.005). ConclusionThe students' worry levels in paediatric clinics were above average, while their paediatric clinical comfort levels were average. As students' knowledge of paediatric emergency practices increased, they felt more comfortable in the clinical setting and had lower worry levels. Implication of practiceProviding nursing students with theoretical and practical training centred on paediatric emergency situations before their clinical rotations are believed to enhance their comfort in paediatric clinics.

Correlates of Worry About Health Care Costs Among Older Adults.

Although older adults in the United States incur more health care expenses than younger adults, little research has been done on their worry about health care costs. Using data from the 2013 National Health Interview Survey ( n = 7,253 for those 65+ years), we examined factors associated with older adults' health care cost worries, defined as at least a moderate level of worry, about ability to pay for normal health care and/or for health care due to a serious illness or accident. Bivariate analyses were used to compare worriers and nonworriers. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association of income, health status, health care service use, and insurance type with worry status. Older age and having Medicaid and Veterans Affairs (VA)/military health benefits were associated with lower odds of worry, while low income, chronic pain, functional limitations, psychological distress, and emergency department visits were associated with higher odds. Practice and policy implications for the findings are discussed.

The influence of worry and avoidance on the Iowa Gambling Task

BackgroundIt has been proposed that worry in individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder may be reinforced by a positive effect of worry on decision making, as reflected by a steeper learning curve on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). We hypothesized that this apparent positive effect of worry is dependent on the IGT parameters, in particular the absence of an opportunity to avoid decisions. Objective(1) To replicate previous findings on the effect of worry on IGT performance. (2) To examine the influence of avoidance opportunity on IGT performance. We hypothesized that the positive effect of worry on learning would be abolished or reversed by the opportunity to avoid. MethodA standard IGT and a new IGT version that includes a pass (avoidance) option were completed by 78 and 79 participants, respectively. ResultsA beneficial effect of worry on learning in the standard version of the IGT was not observed. In the pass version of the IGT, worry status and avoidance were negatively associated with performance. Worry was not related, however, to pass usage. The hypothesized mediating effect of avoidance was non-significant. LimitationsIt is unclear to what extent these findings generalize to real-life decision making and how clinical status affects results. ConclusionThe possibility to avoid a decision results in poorer IGT performance in high relative to low trait worriers. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.

Worry, Mood and Stop Rules in Young Adolescents: Does the Mood-as-Input Theory Apply?

The present study used a mixed methods approach to test the mood-as-input theory of perseverative worry in young adolescents. In an experiment young adolescents were randomized into four groups (positive or negative mood, each with ‘as many as can’ or ‘feel like continuing’ stop rules). However, there was no impact of mood and/or stop rules on perseveration of worry. Some evidence for the mood as input theory was provided by adolescents' qualitative reports of using mood and stop rules as information when deciding to stop worrying. Furthermore, cross-sectional data concurred with adult studies, suggesting trait worry is associated with ‘as many as can’ stop rules and initial negative mood. It is proposed that worry status might interact in complex ways when both mood and stop rules are manipulated and that developmental issues might have impacted on the participants' ability to follow the stop rule allocated.

Performance and persistence of worriers and non-worriers following success and failure feedback

Worry is a cognitive phenomenon that involves rumination over future events accompanied by feelings of anxiety. This study utilised a 2 (worry status: worrier vs. non-worrier) × 2 (performance feedback: success vs. non-contingent failure) × 2 (strategy advice: advice vs. none) between subjects factorial design to investigate the effects of worry on performance and persistence by manipulating performance feedback and strategy advice. n=48 worriers and n=48 non-worriers completed measures of state anxiety, cognitive interference, and perceptions of performance. Following an induction to make participants believed they had failed on a task, worriers showed poor performance, elevated anxiety, and greater cognitive interference than non-worriers. No evidence of nonproductive persistence was evident for worries given strategy advice. The roles of anticipated difficulty levels, item solubility, problem solving confidence, and the perceived value of dogged persistence are discussed in assessing situational factors conducive to nonproductive persistence.