Anxiety

Superstitious beliefs and practices have a determining role in culture and society in traditional communities and influence their worldview and value system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between superstition tendency and depression and anxiety among college students. The present study was descriptive-correlational. The research population consisted of all students who were studying at the Islamic Azad University of Bandar-e Anzali in the academic year 2021-2022. From this population, 335 people were selected as the sample using the convenience sampling method. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Superstition Tendency questionnaires were administered to them and the questionnaires were analyzed using correlation and regression statistical methods after collection. The Results showed that there was a significant relationship between superstition tendency and depression and anxiety (P <0.001). As a result, it can be said that superstition tendency can predict depression and anxiety in university students.

  Subjective : Anxiety is a negative emotional state caused by confronting unfavorable and unmanageable situations. Starting university and facing a new setting often triggers anxiety in students, particularly those who anticipate a demanding work environment. Methods : The study is a descriptive-analytical research conducted in 2023 on the students of Balkh University Faculty of Medicine. A sample size of 120 students was chosen using the basic random sampling approach. Data was collected using Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis using SPSS 27. Out of 120 participants, 52 were aged 20-25, 38 were aged 25-30, and 30 were aged 30-35. Out of the respondents, 62 resided in dormitories and the remaining 58 lived in individual residences.  Results : Out of 120 students, 56 had normal anxiety levels, 35 had mild anxiety, 12 had moderate anxiety, 8 had severe anxiety, and 9 had extremely severe anxiety. Conclusion : Therefore, psychologists in student counseling centers should pay attention to reducing the level of anxiety in students and study the reasons for its occurrence.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of group logo-therapy on self-esteem, social skills, and anxiety among adolescent girls in Tehran, Iran. The research was performed in a semi-experimental method with two groups (15 girls per group): one experimental group with logo-therapy and one control group with treatment as usual. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills, and Beck Anxiety Inventory have been applied to both groups in the pre- and post- intervention phases. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance. Our results showed that group logo-therapy affected the levels of self-esteem and anxiety, but not social skills of these young girls. This study suggests that group logo-therapy may be useful for boosting some aspect of positive functioning of adolescent girls like self-esteem or reducing their negative feelings in response to anxiety but it may not be useful in improving their social skills. Implications of results have been discussed.

While Hegel would agree with existentialist philosophers that anxiety testifies to an existential condition, applying to any human being as such, he believes that the experience of anxiety is shaped by social and cultural institutions and changes over history. The paper offers a reconstruction of Hegel’s account of the social conditions of anxiety. While my focus is the modern period, I use Hegel’s comments on death in previous epochs—and especially in ancient Greece—to bring out the peculiarity of modernity. In the first half of the paper, I discuss the nature and conditions of anxiety. In the second half, I trace Hegel’s critique of a common way to avoid—of flee from—anxiety in modernity, which results in social isolation, boredom, and emptiness. As long as the modern individual is only an economic actor in civil society, she is prone to anxiety. To confront her finitude, Hegel argues, she must endorse her political affiliation, namely, be an active and sacrificing citizen of the state.

This study investigates problematic smartphone attachment under conditions of short-term smartphone separation. Two experimental studies with randomized group allocation were designed to investigate effects of smartphone separation on anxiety and inhibitory control. Problematic smartphone use pathways were explored using a self-report measure. In the first experiment (N= 85) smartphone addicted participants showed an increase in state anxiety after 20 min of separation from their smartphones compared to a control group of non-addicted participants. There was no evidence for impaired inhibitory control based on a period of smartphone separation. In the second experiment the methodology was slightly varied, and the participants (N= 95) were provided with a task during a smartphone separation of 15 min. This led to a reduction of state anxiety for problematic attached participants but did not result in a change for unproblematic attached participants. Problematic attached participants showed a larger disturbance in inhibitory control undergoing a separation period than unproblematic attached participants. Moreover, the results provide supplementary evidence for the existence of specific problematic smartphone attachment pathways and further variables.

Technology integration has become increasingly significant in educational contexts, offering promising opportunities for the professional development of teachers, including EFL teachers. This study explored the transformative potential of integrating technology in the professional development of pre-service and in-service EFL teachers in schools, institutes, and universities. The research objective was to examine the impact of technology integration on teachers' anxiety levels and pedagogical practices. Forty-six pre- and in-service teachers (n=23 per group) participated in a comprehensive 10-session professional development program. The procedure included pre-testing the participants for anxiety levels, conducting the program (twice a week; from January to February, 2023), and administering post-tests after a one-semester interval (May, 2023) to assess changes in the teachers’ anxiety levels and pedagogical practices. The quantitative and qualitative findings revealed the compelling benefits of technology integration for the pre-service teachers, as they reported lower anxiety levels and a significant boost in confidence when selecting and utilizing appropriate technological tools, designing engaging digital activities, and effectively managing technology-related challenges. Conversely, the in-service teachers experienced no significant reduction in anxiety. Moreover, they reported fewer advantages from technology integration and tended to adhere to traditional teaching methods, predominantly due to the challenges of altering established instructional strategies. The findings underscore the critical role of prioritizing professional development for in-service teachers, considering their pivotal role in shaping the future landscape of education. Dedicated efforts should be aimed at supporting teachers to integrate technology effectively, foster better teaching practices, and facilitate optimal learning outcomes for EFL students.  

The current qualitative study examined the role of teacher concern in Iranian institute English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ motivation and anxiety. The study involved 24 participants who participated in a focus group interview to express their opinions on this topic. Thematic analysis was applied to derive seven themes for each role of teacher concern - facilitator or debilitator - based on the perceptions of the students. The findings revealed that teacher concern can have both positive and negative effects on students’ language learning process, depending on the circumstances. It can serve as a motivator, enhancing students’ motivation, or as a hindrance, demotivating them. Teacher concern is shown to be a highly sensitive criterion, and teachers must be mindful of their students' characteristics and the level of care they demonstrate. Teacher concern is likened to a double-edged sword, capable of both motivating and demotivating students. This study emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of teacher concern on students’ language learning and suggests that teachers should be cautious in their approach, taking into account individual student needs and providing appropriate levels of care and support.

E-learning has been extensively integrated into the educational system during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to enhance the quality of education. While introducing numerous benefits and positive impacts, this rapid transition has also posed new challenges that could potentially increase anxiety among elementary school teachers. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between web-based teaching components during the COVID-19 pandemic and anxiety levels among elementary school teachers, providing practical operational solutions. This research is applied in terms of purpose and correlational in terms of methodology. The statistical population of the study included all elementary school teachers in the city of Amol, totaling 750 individuals. A sample of 256 teachers was randomly selected from the city of Amol. Data were collected using the Salmi Anxiety Questionnaire, Abedini Chogordani, Ghasemi Nafchi, and Tabashir (2021), and a researcher-made questionnaire to measure web-based teaching components. The validity of the questionnaires was confirmed through face validity, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was employed to determine the reliability of the research instrument. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. The findings indicated that the contributions of web-based teaching components, including support and virtual learning infrastructure (169.0), learning and technological complexity (141.0), electronic content production (267.0), and type of course instruction (203.0), were significant predictors of teachers' anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the contribution of the effective assessment component (107.0) was not statistically significant. Virtual education infrastructure, learning technological skills, acquiring content production skills, type of course instruction, were negative predictors of teachers' anxiety during the pandemic. The results of the study revealed a significant negative relationship between some web-based teaching components and anxiety levels. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce teaching anxiety in web-based education by implementing empowerment courses to develop online teaching skills, producing effective content, and fostering technological development in in-service teacher training.

Mobile technologies and portable devices have a crucial role in mobile-assisted language learning (MALL). This paper evaluates the difference of gender in the improvement of oral skills via WhatsApp Application (WAA) and the impression of mobile devices on students’ motivation, satisfaction, and anxiety and the learners’ opinions. A mixed method study was used on the sample size. Quasi-experimental and non-experimental survey designs were carried out in this research. The study’s participants were composed of 30 EFL learners at an upper-intermediate level in Zanjan, Iran. A face-to-face verbal interview was implemented for recording the pre-test before setting up the experimental course on WAA and by creating the interaction group on WAA, the learners communicated (written and voice messages) with the tasks that they received every week for six weeks. Then the teacher ran another interview and used a questionnaire consisting of thirty 5-point Likert item questions adopted from Horwitz et al. (1986) to estimate the participants’ contentment and attitude with mobile education classes, the effectiveness of this process on their inspiration to get involved in class interaction, and the anxiety of learners in this approach. The findings displayed that the female participants’ performance was slightly better than male participants and the use of WAA on mobile devices can enhance speaking proficiency among EFL learners by decreasing their anxiety and increasing motivation resulting in their satisfaction.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of online sports programs became popular. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of online body balance program on anxiety, depression, and aggression of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Body balance is a sport based on yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. The present study was a semi-experimental and applied type of study. The participants of the present study were 30 volunteer children with ADHD who were divided into two experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups by random assignment method. Aggression, depression, and anxiety variables were evaluated by Bass and Perry questionnaire, Maria Kvas children's depression questionnaire, and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale. The experimental group performed online body balance training for 8 weeks (3 sessions per week for 60 minutes) online, and the control group did their current activities. In order to investigate intra-group and inter-group differences, repeated measures ANOVA at the error level of 0.05 was used by SPSS software. The results showed there was significant difference in the average level of symptoms of depression, anxiety and aggression in the pre-test and post-test stages (P≤0.05), between the two control and experimental groups (P≤0.05) and the interaction effect of time and group (P≤0.05). The results of Tukey's test showed that there was a significant reduction of these symptoms between the two experimental and control groups in the variables of depression symptoms (-5.500), anxiety symptoms (-5.133) and aggression symptoms (-13.133). Based on the results of this research, eight weeks of body balance training reduced depression, aggression and anxiety symptoms in 7-9 year old children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, the improvement of mental disorders caused by this disease in children following the body balance exercise program emphasizes the importance of using this intervention method for children with ADHD.