Effects of a Brief Mindfulness Based Group Intervention On College Students

Increases in the number of college students seeking mental health services require counseling centers to explore innovative strategies to provide effective and efficient treatments. Group interventions offer an alternative to traditional individual counseling, allowing centers to serve more students with fewer clinical staff (Burlingame et al., 2016). Of current group modalities, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been growing in popularity as an effective approach for addressing college students’ increasingly complex needs. This study describes the evaluation of a three-session mindfulness-based intervention on students’ mindfulness, symptoms, and stress. Compared to a comparison group of 109 students not seeking counseling center services, 78 students who received the intervention reported increased mindfulness, and decreased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress at the end of the group. Furthermore, improvements in mindfulness mediated intervention effects on symptoms of depression and anxiety. These gains were generally maintained 3 weeks later. These findings support the benefits of brief group interventions for college students. Suggestions for modifications to the intervention and for future research are discussed.     

Cognitive behavioural strategies and anxiety in elite orienteers

The primary purpose of this exploratory field study was to examine the use of cognitive behavioural strategies by highly skilled orienteers prior to and during competition. A secondary purpose of the study was to investigate whether differences in the level of qualification in orienteering is related to state anxiety. The subjects were divided into three classes with respect to their international and national records. The first two classes (A and B) were composed of international and national level athletes. The third class (C) included orienteers with unknown international records. Examination of the use of behavioural cognitive strategies during competition indicated that all orienteers reported a moderate use of mental imagery, above moderate use of inner talk and a focus of attention on present action rather than past or future. The other major findings were that prior to competition, superior orienteers reported use of higher self‐efficacy, more positive outcome expectations and more task demand orientation than their less successful counterparts. Top orienteers coped more successfully with pre‐competition anxiety by lowering their anxiety to a more moderate level prior to the actual performance.     

The relationship between evaluative concerns and sport competition state anxiety among youth skiers

Thirty-four youth competitive skiers (mean age = 13.74 years) completed measures of social evaluative concern and competitive anxiety. Consistent with past research, regression analyses showed that cognitive anxiety was related to performance-specific evaluative concerns. However, contrary to current conceptualizations of sport competition anxiety, somatic anxiety was correlated with concerns about evaluation of other non-performance aspects of ski racing. Competitive skiers were most concerned about parents' and friends' evaluations of their performance, and other competitors' and friends' evaluations of their skiing in general. These findings are discussed in relation to the theory and management of sport competition state anxiety.     

Examination of the psychometric properties of the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire - 2 in a sample of female athletes

We undertook two studies to determine the validity and reliability of the revised Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2). In Study 1, 201 female athletes (mean age 16.4 years) were administered the initial version of the PMCSQ-2 and a measure of reported tension and pressure experienced in sport. Exploratory principal component analysis suggested that the PMCSQ-2 contained two higher-order scales (Task-Involving and Ego-Involving climates), each with three subscales (Task: Cooperative Learning, Effort/Improvement, Important Role; Ego: Intra-Team Member Rivalry, Unequal Recognition, Punishment for Mistakes). In Study 2, 385 female volleyball players (mean age 15.2 years) completed the PMCSQ-2, the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and a measure of Team Satisfaction. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to six competing models. The oblique six-factor model and oblique hierarchical model provided comparable fit to the data. Acceptable fit was reached based on model respecification. Across Studies 1 and 2, internal consistency was found to be acceptable for the higher-order scales and subscales (with the exception of the Intra-Team Member Rivalry subscale). We found evidence for the concurrent validity of the instrument.     

外语学习过程中的焦虑问题

外语学习是一个既包含认知因素又包括情感因素的复杂过程。语言焦虑作为三大情感因素之一,无论是对外语学习成果,还是对学习者的全面发展都有着很大的负面影响。本文通过对语言焦虑的理论溯源,系统地归纳了语言焦虑的产生、发展及其负面影响,并探讨了以人本主义为基础,降低语言焦虑的重要性和可能性。     

考试焦虑与英语听力成绩之间的相关性研究

语言学习焦虑对二语学习者有着重要的影响。研究以问卷的形式,对102名英语专业一年级学生进行了调查,旨在探讨中国英语专业学生在听力考试中的焦虑程度,以及其焦虑程度与听力测试成绩之间的关系。结果显示,大多数学生在英语听力考试中存在焦虑倾向,并且学生的焦虑程度与听力测试成绩呈负相关。学生的自我评价对其焦虑的产生有着重要的影响。     

Student Predispositions as Predictors of Dissent Behaviors in Supply Chain Courses*

This study investigates how student dissent behaviors are affected by student predispositions (i.e., math anxiety and self‐efficacy) in supply chain related courses. The data support a model in which students’ vengeful dissent behaviors are indirectly induced by these predispositions through the mediation of perceived immediacy. It is critical for instructors to understand the relationship between these variables to help improve the classroom environment for students, which this study helps to accomplish. Instructors of quantitative courses may need to engage students with predispositions in communication outside of the classroom to foster effective relationship building away from an environment that triggers students’ anxiety.     

Comorbidity of PTSD in anxiety and depressive disorders: Prevalence and shared risk factors

The present study aims to assess comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in anxiety and depressive disorders and to determine whether childhood trauma types and other putative independent risk factors for comorbid PTSD are unique to PTSD or shared with anxiety and depressive disorders. The sample of 2402 adults aged 18–65 included healthy controls, persons with a prior history of affective disorders, and persons with a current affective disorder. These individuals were assessed at baseline (T0) and 2 (T2) and 4 years (T4) later. At each wave, DSM-IV-TR based anxiety and depressive disorder, neuroticism, extraversion, and symptom severity were assessed. Childhood trauma was measured at T0 with an interview and at T4 with a questionnaire, and PTSD was measured with a standardized interview at T4. Prevalence of 5-year recency PTSD among anxiety and depressive disorders was 9.2%, and comorbidity, in particular with major depression, was high (84.4%). Comorbidity was associated with female gender, all types of childhood trauma, neuroticism, (low) extraversion, and symptom severity. Multivariable significant risk factors (i.e., female gender and child sexual and physical abuse) were shared among anxiety and depressive disorders. Our results support a shared vulnerability model for comorbidity of anxiety and depressive disorders with PTSD. Routine assessment of PTSD in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders seems warranted.     

Evaluation fidelity: An examination of criterion‐based assessment and rater training in the speech communication classroom

The purpose of this study was to further investigate the effectiveness of speech evaluation procedures and measures. Specifically, this study examines the relationship between rater training and evaluation fidelity— a concept which focuses on the shared understanding of meaning between speech raters and students in terms of what is expected and what is performed. To do so, two studies were conducted. Study one hypothesized that evaluation fidelity would be associated with rater training such that inter‐rater (instructor‐instructor) reliability would be higher after training. The findings suggest that participants in Study one increased their evaluation fidelity in terms of total scores. The variance and frequency reports confirmed that the range of scores decreased (higher evaluation fidelity) after training. Study two hypothesized that instructors who provided their students with training in using the “Criteria for Evaluating Speeches” form would achieve higher evaluation fidelity than those instructors who do not. Results support this hypothesis and reveal higher evaluation fidelity between instructors and students in the group where students received a copy and explanation of the criterion‐based assessment tool.