Se Rin Lee

Annotated Source List

Anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder). (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2015, from
Massachusetts General Hospital website:
http://www2.massgeneral.org/schoolpsychiatry/info_anxiety.asp
Summary:
This article from the Massachusetts general hospital website defines the different aspects of
GAD and generally encompasses and provides information about each subcategory. It
differentiates clinical anxiety from the norm of anxiety and provides the different types of
anxiety such as: social phobia, social anxiety, specific phobia, separation anxiety disorder, panic
disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and selective mutism. These illnesses are caused both
genetic and environmental factors and an individual may experience multiple types of anxiety. At
home anxiety may look like: excessive worry for over six months, self doubt, inability to stop
worrying, physical problems, persistent anxiety, irritability, sleep problems, experimentation with
alcohol or drugs, and depressive or suicidal thoughts. At school it may look like: repeated
seeking for approval, constant worrying despite reassurance, difficulty transitioning from home
to school, reluctance to attend school, avoidance of academic and social activities, low self
esteem, difficulty concentrating, association with other conditions, such as ADHD, learning
disorders, and side effects from medications. Emphasis is put on how: Having one mental health
condition does not "inoculate" the child from having other conditions as well (Anxiety, n.d.).
At the doctor's office it may look like: varying symptoms over time, mood disorders (depression,
bipolar disorder), behavior disorders, anxiety caused by medical conditions, caffeine and
stimulant causing anxiety, physical complaints, difficulty talking about worries, reluctance to
admit, or being unaware, guardians and family being unaware, etc. Methods of treatment are:
individual psychotherapy (can help lessen feeling of failure, feeling as if the disorder is their
fault), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (describing anxiety laden though patterns, a clinician may
help guide a more positive thought process, this method has been research thoroughly), parent
guidance sessions, group psychotherapy, and school based counseling. Biological interventions
are antidepressants, which are also called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. The U.S Food
and Drug Administration has not approved certain medications, but some have been approved.
Antidepressants may help lessen symptoms but no best medicine exists to eliminate
symptoms. Caution should be taken to weigh the benefits and risks, monitor children, etc. In
some individuals with bipolar disorder, antidepressants may initially improve depressive
symptoms but can sometimes worsen manic symptoms . While antidepressants do not "cause"
bipolar disorder, they can unmask or worsen manic symptoms (Anxiety, 2014).
Application to Research:
This article has provided more than enough background research and specific points about how
anxiety can show in school settings. It gives possible treatment options and lists key points. GAD
may overlap with other mental illnesses, this is perfectly possible. Antidepressants may not
cause mood disorders, but may worsen manic symptoms. Antidepressants do not eliminate
symptoms, they may alleviate them.
Assessing and treating child anxiety in schools. (2011). Psychology in the Schools, 48(3).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pits.20548

Summary:
This excerpt from a journal describes how anxiety disorders are common in youth. It
explains a
series of clinical tests conducted that showed how CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is
an
effective treatment method among youth/adolescents, methods of identifying anxiety,
how it
could be incorporated in schools, and the pros and cons of implementation
schools. Research indicates that 10%20% of children in the general population and
primary
care settings report distressing levels of anxiety (Assessing and treating anxiety in
schools
n.d). It categorized the three most common types of anxiety in children: generalized
anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and social phobia. GAD is excessive
worrying
among a wide variety of domains that are often difficult to control and is related to
physical
symptoms such as muscle tension. SoP is fear of fear of performance in social settings
due to
evaluation. SAD is excessive anxiety surrounding separation from guardians/ home.
SAD, GAD, and SoP are treated similarly and are conducted under similar research. It is
believed that they are comorbid and all share an underlying anxiety construct. Anxious
children
are reluctant to
engage in age appropriate social interactions for healthy development, are prone to have
difficulties with relationships. and may have impairments functioning in school. If left
untreated,
symptoms worsen and can lead to later anxiety, depression, suicidal attempts, and
ideation.
Identification and treatment in earlier stages are crucial to improving current standards
and
preventing future turmoils
Application to Research:
Although this article seems to surround mainly a younger age group, the concepts are still
very
much prevalent to my project surrounding high school students. It provides a quotable
statistic,
claiming that 10 to 20 percent of children show symptoms of anxiety. It also lists the
negative
effects of treatment which may be a strong point in proving the relevance and the need
for
advocacy and change.
The basics on generalized anxiety. (n.d.). Retrieved from Anxieties website:
http://www.anxieties.com/116/the-basics-on-generalized-anxiety#.Vm2Wc0or LIU
Summary:

Heightened anxiety can affect six major systems of the human body. In the cardiovascular
system, it can increase blood temperature, constrict blood vessels, produce palpitations,
headaches, and cold fingers. In the gastrointestinal system, it can lead to discomfort in the
stomach, intestines, and the anal sphincter (commonly referred to as butterflies in the
stomach), as well as spasms, diarrhea, and/or constipation. In the respiratory system, anxiety may
cause hyperventilation, reducing carbon dioxide in the blood. In the genitourinary system, it may
cause frequent urination. In the musculoskeletal system, an individual may feel tense, experience
involuntary trembling, various aches, or pains.
Application to Research
These are physical symptoms of anxiety that may aid in recognition. I can include these in the
survey and notify respondents of mental, emotional, as well as physical traits of anxiety. Anxiety
affects multiple parts of the body, more than what people are usually prone to estimate. This
helps dissolve the stigma that anxiety is only in the head, but in reality it is a very consuming
aspect.
Bower, B. (2012, May 19). The hot and cold of priming: Psychologists are divided
on whether unnoticed cues can influence behavior. Science News, 181(10),
26-29.
Summary:
This journal, derived from a website, states how unnoticed cues can affect personal tendencies.
It also states that this is a divisive topic among psychologists. Simple things such as holding a
warm drink can make someone more prone to judging that the strangers they observe have
warmer personalities; or minute references to old age can cause college students to slow their
walking. It even goes to state that Priming may even inspire innovative mental health
treatments (Bower 2012). Yale University psychologist John Bargh compares these primes to
whistles that only mental butlers can hear, and from that point they act on existing tendencies
without arousing conscious commotion. However, some cognitive psychologists state that
through repeated experiments, the evidence provided by statistics, are not strong enough to
indicate that their is a significant correlation. A suggested error is that the volunteers consciously
pick up on what is expected of them through the body languages of the experimenters. Critics
state that consciously made decisions are much more important than priming, which explains the
reason why repeated statistical data that barely reach the breaking point vanish with further
testing.
Application to project:
This article did point out a key possibility that could contribute to my project, but also provided
the opposite and stated that the results of priming may not be effective enough.
Se Rin Lee
Period 2
Bradberry, T. (2015, May 26). How successful people handle stress. Retrieved November
4, 2015, from Forbes website:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2015/05/26/how-successful-people-turnstress-and-anxiety-into-top-performance/
Duncan, D. (2012, May 3). Anxiety management. Retrieved November 4, 2015, from
Self help direct website: http://selfhelpdirect.net/blog/anxiety-management

Summary:
The graphs and articles from the websites explained the correlation between anxiety levels and
performance levels. Anxiety has a negative connotation because the situations described are
usually extremes. Drastically low and high levels of anxiety both pose low and minimal
performance, while a healthy level of anxiety poses optimal performance. A nonconstant factor is
the fact that people start from different anxiety levels, and some are more wired to be anxious
than others. anxiety is not the enemy but too much anxiety is that enemy (Duncan, 2012). It
also lists ways to lessen anxiety (Sleep, correlates with reaction time, physical activity, having
self help sessions, relaxation, and locating a support system). It states that a sports psychologist
studied why certain athletes performed better under high stress levels. A simple example given is
when students feel anxiety towards a deadline, which motivates them to complete an assignment.
The second article stated that people who feel that they have control over the event in their lives
feel more confident, and ultimately have greater work performance levels, according to a study
by University of Florida psychologist, Tim Judge. It also states that the empowered use anxiety
as a motivation factor, while others view it as a disparity. It also gives methods to decrease these
symptoms and feel more in control such as: expecting change, etc.
Application to Research:
This correlation sheds a positive light on the stigma of anxiety and provides a different aspect. It
will be interesting to see how this idea merges and contrasts with the negative effects that anxiety
has on students.

Bright, F. (2012, March 14). Increased levels of anxiety and depression as teenage
experience changes over time. Retrieved October 13, 2015, from
http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/news/increased-levels-anxiety-and-depressionteenage-experience-changes-over-time
Summary:
This article provides research from the Nuffield Foundation shows that over the past
couple of
decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of teens of anxiety,
depression, and
other behavioral problems. In addition, studies have found that teens are more likely to be
in
education, and less likely to be in paid employment, indicating a longer and less
structured
phase of adolescence Although divorce rates are higher, it has been found that the teens of
this
generation are more likely to spend quality time with parents. The ratio of teens
reporting to
feel depressed or anxious has doubled in the last 30 years (1/30 to 2/30 for boys and 1/10
to
for girls). Factors that affect this are listed: time use and education, family life, and
substance
use. The shift from education to work has left a considerable gap in the independent time
someone has.
Application to Research:
It was later discovered that both the website and the article were published in London,
meaning
that the information may not completely be relevant. However, the factors listed and the
questions raised remain the same, no matter which country. It also adds to show that kids
all
around the world, not only Americans, are becoming affected by the sudden increase.
Brody, J. E. (1982, August 17). Is subliminal persuasion a menace? Evidently
not. Retrieved September 9, 2015, from The New York Times website:
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/17/science/
is-subliminal-persuasion-a-menace-evidently-not.html
Summary:
This article, from the New York Times website, explains the usage of subliminal messages and
its implementations in advertisements, visual therapy, etc. It lists the many uses and the
effectiveness/ineffectiveness as proven through multiple experiments. It states the cocktail party
effect that if one's attention is directed towards something, the messages exposed
simultaneously may have little effect. However, it also states that subliminal messages have
grave power and may affect human behavior and speech. It points out that to study subliminal
perceptions, one would have to equip a highly artificial lab setting, one very different from
movie theaters where people are usually subject to be exposed to these messages. It states that

the results are very primitive and fragile. One experiments show the effects of such phrases like,
People arguing, and Mommy and I are one, and showed how the symptoms in schizophrenic
patients were influenced, first by aggressive behavior, than by subidation. It helped support the
theory that schizophrenic patients have a longing to unite with a motherly figure. The article
overall lists many examples and explains in detail the theories and validities derived from each
experiment.
Application to Research:
I feel as if this article is truly helpful, even though the publication date is old, the ideas are still
very much relevant. Other articles on subliminal messages primarily focussed on advertisement,
or deceivement, but this article looks upon them in a positive connotation. I felt genuinely
excited reading this article and like the experiment mentioned, would like to create one based off
of the effect of subliminal messages on brain vulnerability and ways to improve mental illness
symptoms, even temporarily.
Cara, E. (2014, November). The most dangerous idea in mental health. Retrieved
September 16, 2015, from Pacific Standard website: http://www.psmag.com/health-andbehavior/dangerous-idea-mental-health-93325
Summary:
This article from a website describes how memory recovery methods are potentially the most
dangerous concept in the field of psychology. It accounts for a specific instance in which a
daughter of a father was emitted into Castlewood Treatment Center due to rising levels of
anxiety, poor standings in school, loss of daily interest, and overall bad condition. Over time, the
father noticed that there was less communication being signaled through the two. Later, he found
out that he was being pointed fingers at for a terrible accusation, the sexual harassment of his
daughter. Bewildered, the father wondered why and how his daughter had come to this state and
false memory. It was later revealed that because of alarming psychological practices and the
influences of other patients around her, the daughter had developed a false memory, which she
believed was hidden away in her unconscious memories, but later recovered at the treatment
house. Troublingly, 43 percent of practicing clinical psychologists still think it is possible to
retrieve repressed memories. Those therapists are profoundly out of step with the thinking among
research psychologists (Cara).
Application to Research:
This article has surely alarmed me and I know for sure that I do not want to go this direction for
my area of research, for I do not want to spread awareness and possible wrong usage of this
dangerous concept. However, this article did help me get an insight on some of the negative
practices and lights towards psychology.
Dwyer, L. (2014, October 3). When anxiety hits at school. Retrieved December 2, 2015,
from The Atlantic website: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/10/whenanxiety-hits-at-school/380622/
Summary:
This article from The Atlantic website stated the causes of anxiety in school, and the current
situation surrounding this rising issue. It gives personal accounts from students and school

counselors, from the students with panic disorders, to counselors stating how they handle issues
such as these. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about eight percent of U.S
teens are diagnosed with anxiety disorder. School counselors have located stress, pressure, social
media, and divorce as potential causes. School counselors have stated how over the past couple
of decades, mental health issues have increased significantly, instead of the typical teenage
issues. Jason Bradley, a school counselor in Northern California directs technology to one of the
pressing causes, stating how students feel rushed and pressured to keep in the know and to
obtain information. Amer Lutz, a counselor in St. Louis, states how high performance
expectations with school and sports attribute to stress, which later transforms into anxiety. As
the competition and price for universities continue to rise, the pressure rises as well. With higher
demands and expectations, such as pressure to take AP classes, as well as multiple subject tests
(SAT, PSAT, ACT, AP exams, etc), only adds to the problem,. Over commitment, with school,
sports, family obligations, and a social life leaves students clueless about how to balance the
activities.
[...] school nurses and counselors across the country have seen more cases of panic
attacks, headaches, and stomachaches come through their offices each year. And when
school is part of whats driving students anxiety, a school counselor or nurse may be the
first person to learn something is wrong. (Dwyer, 2014)
A direct consequence of this phenomenon is suicidal tendencies among students. Since anxiety is
modern growing concern and new research is put forth, emphasis is now geared towards
educating counselors and students about these issues, through seminars or conferences. Dinkel,
from the National Association of School Nurses, states how by hosting more conventions for
mental illness concerns, he has received a positive response and more people openly request that
this topic be shared. Every year we try to add more sessions, because we know there has been
an increase in mental illness (Dwyer, 2014). Through these methodologies, professionals have
taught students how to physically relieve their anxiety and claim their bodies, how to recognize
symptoms to prevent a full on panic attack, and to encourage a safe atmosphere. An important
aspect is to teach students to distinguish physical symptoms of anxiety (breathing difficulty, heart
rate increase, chest pain, etc), from serious medical issues, as to not underestimate. Since this is a
gradual increase, adaptations are steadfastly being made and counselors themselves are learning
how to balance mental illness concerns to ordinary counseling tasks (academic concerns). Expert
led staff training about mental health, specialized mental health counseling services for students
are possible adaptations that can clearly be made. Communication is key, among parents, staff,
and therapists. It takes multiple constituents to locate the problem. The last panic attack the
nurse told Salli-Ann that she was not sick, so she needed to stay at school and breathe through
her anxiety. I appreciated that so much. I could not be more grateful for the nurse and her help
(Dwyer, 2014). This particular quote seemed interesting because of the fact that the nurse
deemed the illness as not a sickness, when there is rising controversy about how mental illnesses
versus physical illnesses are regarded in society. If a student has a physical injury, they would
receive different attention than they would with a mental illness symptom. Although the point is
not that just because the student has panic attacks, they should be dismissed, because learning
how to cope in society with these symptoms is key to leading a controllable lifestyle. It is
difficult to take preventive measures since most people do not worry about the problem unless
they themselves experience it. However, it is highly unlikely that this issue will diminish.
Evidence of greater emphasis on this issue is that Institute of Education Sciences earlier this

year awarded a grant of more than $1 million to Johns Hopkins University to study ways school
nurses can reduce anxiety (Dwyer, 2014).
Application to Research:
This article proved to be highly informative and helpful as it listed the predicted causes of
anxiety such as: stress, pressure, technology, divorce, social media, increased activities,
strenuous classes in schools, etc. It provided very realistic ways that this situation can be
improved, such as through educating staff about mental illnesses, providing professional
counselors in schools, teaching students about recognizing symptoms and getting help.The
article also provided definite evidence that this is a rising concern, by providing the example
related to the huge grant awarded to a major university. It also provided me with insight and
provoked my interest in how double standards are put between physical injuries and mental
illness symptoms, although the two are very clearly different, they are also similar in some cases,
and more people have mentioned this.
Flanagan, M. J., Putwain, D. W., & Caltabiano, M. L. (2015). The relationship between
goal setting and students relationship with test anxiety [PDF]. International Journal of
School & Educational Psychology, 3(3), 189-201.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2015.1060910
Summary:
This journal examines the correlation between goal setting and test anxiety. There are three main
types of goals: self, task, and other referenced goals.In short, journal states that through variable
centered regression analysis, it was noted that increased task related goals were associated with
lower test releated thinking and physical symptoms of test anxiety. Also, increased otheravoidance goals were related to worrying and tension. Basically, the more a student avoids and
the more goals that they have, the more prone they are to test anxiety. Avoidance and the number
of goals directly correlates with test anxiety proneness. Cluster analyses also showed that
students had multiple goals, and emphasized self and task goals above other achievement goals.
Multiple achievement goals can correlate with increased or decreased test anxiety. Also, task
related goals within mastery approach goals may influence test anxiety. This means that if a
student wants to master something that includes a task, they may develop anxious feelings
towards it. The journal also gives information on managing test anxiety.
Various personal and situational factors affect how one perceives and experiences text
anxiety. Females are more likely to experience test anxiety due to exposure, learning
experiences, and appraisals. Females tend to see the situation as more of a threat than a
challenge. Other factors that affect test anxiety are achievement goals and academic self concept.
Greater instances of test anxiety were demonstrated through students that were Eastern Asia,
following the ideal of a Confucian aurora of loyalty, collectivism, etc. This means that high test
scores are more valued and more emphasis is put towards this aspect. Test anxiety is defined as a
form of evaluation anxiety, associated with fear of failing academic testing and social
consequences. Individuals prone to TA perceived evaluative situations as threatening. THe
components of TA are: cognitive (worry, intrusive and irrelevant thoughts), affectivephysiological stress response (tension, bodily symptoms, autonomic arousal), and behavioral
(avoidance, task focused study).
Test anxiety is universal and conceptualized similarly throughout the world. It is seen as both a
personal attribute and a dynamic process. Short term worry and hypervigilance for threats may

precipitate anxiety and anxiety inducing behaviors such as: procrastination, avoidance, poor task
focus, and preparation. Avoidance goals are more likely to predict TA. Other related goals that
associate with social-evaluative and self worth implications also relate to TA. Self/task avoidance
goals may also accompany this phenomenon. Achievement goals are defined as dynamic
cognitive focus that suggests one's aim and outcome. There are learning goals, and ego goals
(showing ability to others). Various personal influences such as temperament, self-esteem,
competence, desire for achievement, and fear of failure), demographic. environmental variables,
and the nature of different goals may affect how students endorse them.
Competence can be referenced against a task or ones self (a mastery goal) or by
comparison to others (a performance goal). When the approach-avoidance valence is
incorporated, four possible goals emerge: (a) a performance-approach goal, concerned
with outperforming ones peers or classmates, (b) a performance-avoidance goal,
concerned with avoiding performing worse than ones peers or classmates, (c) a masteryapproach goal, concerned with developing personal or task-based competence, and (d) a
mastery-avoidance goal concerned with avoiding personal or task-based incompetence.
University students tend to endorse multiple achievement goals and attempt to manage the
responses. This tendency to hold multiple goals (including self, task, and other) makes them
more vulnerable to TA. In short, trying to manage more things leads to greater test anxiety.
Incorporating task approach goals instead of avoidance goals would be lessen evaluation anxiety.
It is noted that motivations behind it is partly unconscious. Therefore, by studying underlying
motivations, there will be further findings on how to set less anxiety inducing goals. This can
lead students to make more rational goals under clearer circumstances. Academic self efficacy
negatively predicted TA.

Application to Research:
This journal, 14 pages in length, was incredibly long, but despite its depth, did not provide
breakthrough information. It defined test anxiety and gave variables that may increase
vulnerability such as: gender, demographics, and stated the correlation between goal setting and
test anxiety. This may play a role in a certain aspect of my project, as test anxiety is a specific
instance of school induced anxiety. However, this journal focused more on how the individual
sets goals as is affected, not exactly relating it directly to school circumstances, although
environment is a prevalent factor in test anxiety.
Headley, C., & Campbell, M. A. (2013). Teachers knowledge of anxiety and
identification of excessive anxiety in children. Australian Journal of Teacher Education,
38(4). Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1014052.pdf
Summary:

This journal gives extended background information on anxiety and presents the results
of a
survey conducted. The survey gave a group of 315 teachers a questionnaire testing their
knowledge of anxiety. While most knew what the general idea was, they could not
distinguish
normal anxiety from excessive anxiety, and generally had a negative connotation of it. It
states
that gender is a big factor, and females are twice as likely to develop a disorder compared
to
boys. Disorders may develop in childhood (separation anxiety and phobias) or
adolescence
(social phobia and panic disorder). Anxiety disorders are highly comorbid with
depressive
disorders or other forms of anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are equally as disabling
as
depression.
The literature defines anxiety as an emotional state that is often considered analogous to
fear (Sweeney & Pine, 2004). Anxiety or fear is comprised of cognitions (e.g., worry),
behaviors (e.g., avoidance), emotions (e.g., scared), physiological responses (e.g.,
increased heart rate), and relational aspects (Morris & March, 2004; Ollendick & March,
2004; Silverman & Treffers, 2001). It is a natural response to a realistic threat and can be
protective (e.g., preventing people from walking in front of cars or assisting with
preparation for exams). In children, these protective responses assist the developing child
when they are faced with stimuli that either cannot be understood or controlled (Craske,
1997; Ollendick, Yule, & Ollier, 1991). Anxiety in childhood is a part of normal
development and children often grow out of this anxiety as they mature (e.g., fear of
dark, storms, strangers, etc.). However, some children continue to experience anxiety
beyond reasonable age norms. Anxiety is considered on a continuum from normal levels
of anxiety, which can be helpful, to excessive anxiety, which is where anxiety disorders
are present (Eysenck, 1997). Excessive anxiety occurs when a child experiences fears that
are disproportionate to the level of threat; that is, when there is a fear response in the
absence of a real threat (Barrett & Pahl, 2006; Sweeney & Pine, 2004). Despite anxiety
being on a continuum, anxiety is classified as a disorder when a person displays extreme
distress symptoms that last a significant time (persisting between one to six months
depending on the disorder), are developmentally inappropriate and interfere with daily
life functioning in several areas, often leading to avoidance behaviors (American
Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000; Barrett & Pahl, 2006; Campbell, 2006). Teachers
Knowledge. (Teachers knowledge of anxiety and identification of excessive anxiety in
children 2013)

Application to Research:The information above is from an Australian journal,

therefore its statistics and information are not as applicable. However, it gives a distinct
definition on anxiety, and separates it from the norm to the excessive. It re emphasizes some of
the information in past reading reports, making it much more congruent. For example, several
sources now have stated that anxiety disorders are comorbid, either with each other or other
disorders. It also states that early intervention is crucial, for it can lead to impairments in the
future. In addition to the information provided, it also suggested a different part of my project.
Instead of just conducting questionnaires on students, it may be beneficial to get insight from
teachers and how they might identify students and attempt to help. It helped categorize how
different people may perceive anxiety.

Week of 1/13/15
Hoferichter, F., & Raufelder, D. (2015). Examining the role of social relationships in the
association between neuroticism and test anxiety- results from a study with German
secondary school kids. Educational Psychology, 35(7), 851-868.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2013.849326
Summary:
This journal examines the relationship between SSR (student-student relationships) and TSR
(teacher student relationships) to neuroticism and test anxiety among German seconday school
students. 513 students from Berlin, Germany responded to a questionnaire on personality, test
anxiety, and the quality of TSRs and SSRs. It showed that females showed more accounts of test
anxiety and neuroticism. There was a negative correlation between test anxiety and TSRs for
females only. Structural equation modelling revealed a positive relationship between
neuroticism and test anxiety, which was mediated by the SSRs, but not by the TSR (Hoferichter
& Raufelder, 2015). The results emphasis the role of high quality SSRs for both gender, as it was
found to mediate the association between neuroticism and test anxiety in schools and therefore
might contribute to lower anxiety in learning environments (Hoferichter & Raufelder, 2015).
Application to Research:
This information can surely be implemented into my outline to add more information to the test
anxiety subcategory. It states practical factors that may negatively or positively affect test
anxiety. Instead of just personal factors, external factors may contribute to students experience
with test anxiety as well.
Julian, L. J. (2014, January 3). Measures of anxiety. Retrieved October 13, 2015, from
NCBI website: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3879951/
Summary:
This journal from the article explains different ways to measure anxiety, from specific
disorders
to broader GAD. This includes 1) measures of general measures of anxiety and severity
of
anxiety symptoms, 2) administered by self-report, 3) used in rheumatologic populations,
and 4)
has evidence of adequate psychometric data (Julian). It advocates that these symptoms
should
only be registered to check the presence of symptoms, not to impend on a diagnosis.
Some of
ths factors are number of items, recall period, response options, presence of translations,
and
adaptations. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory includes the Strait which accounts for
how the
subject feels right now, with activation of the nervous system and tense, nervous
feelings. The

T trait accounts for general confidence and security. It measured by a series of answers
such as
1) not at all, 2) somewhat, 3) moderately so, and 4) very much so- for intensity and
responses for
frequency of feelings in general: 1) almost never, 2) sometimes, 3) often, and 4) almost
always. The Beck Anxiety Inventory examines how much the subject was bothered by such
symptoms and focusses on somatic symptoms. It is represented by a range of numbers. The
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Anxiety measures anxiety and fear and is represented by
a number system of 0-3.
Application to Research:
This information will be very much applicable when creating surveys. I will most likely
develop
a survey encompassing a mixture of all of these methods to measure anxiety, but
primarily the
STAI.
June, D. (2005). World suicide rates by country [Table]. Retrieved from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/suiciderate.html
Klyap, J. (2015, October 4). [Personal interview by the author].
Summary:
During the interview, Dr. Klyap and I discussed the four topics that I had in mind. He
recommended the topic based around the correlation of the rising level of anxiety and
educational facilities/ system. It was brought up that I would have to specify the difference
between symptoms of the mental illness, and the sensation of purely just feeling anxious. I could
also located causes, raise awareness, and advocate people to get help and take necessary
measures to improve their situations. It would help others determine if they, themselves, or their
peers showed signs of having anxiety, although self diagnosis is not recommended. I would have
to delve into the causes aspect for research, but also look upon resources, such as the Active
Minds club at Mt. Hebron. During the interview, I also met Dr. Klyaps intern, and she advised
me to talk to one of her professors at University of Maryland, Dr. Cixin Wang. She mentioned
that Dr. Wang had recently lectured on how most students do not know the resources for anxiety.
Application to Research:
This interview helped me locate possible advisors, and helped me specify different aspects of my
projects, from causes, to resources, etc.
Klyap, J. (2015, December 21). [Personal interview by the author]
Summary:
Through this interview, I was able to gain insight from a professional about anxiety related to
modern day educational systems/facilities. Dr. Kylap confirmed some of the prevalent factors
that cause anxiety, and he specifically emphasized and repeated the increased influence of
pressure. He also suggested methods of data collection, how to control more variables, and how
to organize/analyze the data. For data collection, he said that the STAI method would not be the
most efficient. The interview also helped emphasize the huge multitude of factors that may play
into this data collection, and the various ways that it could be analyzed. Since he is a school

psychologist and has first hand experience dealing with students that experience anxiety, I
inquired whether or not counseling sessions with students with anxiety have increased, and he
confirmed that they had increased. He mentioned that from his viewpoint, he thought that
teachers did have stable and strong knowledge around mental health. When inquired about
methods of intervention, he suggested a brief review session reiterated each class once every few
months.
Application to Research:
This interview helped me reiterated some of the strongest factors regarding my project. It helped
me specifically with data collection methods/ analyzing data. I plan to transcribe the interview
and look back to it to help plan and organize the surveys and the various routes that it may take.
Macher, D., Paechter, M., Papousek, I., Ruggeri, K., Freudenthaler, H. H., & Garden
Daisy, M. (2013). Statistics anxiety, state anxiety during an examination, and academic
achievement. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 535-549.
Summary:
This academic journal provided by Dr.Cixin Wang from the UMD, explains a study conducted
conducted that showed how statistics related courses were the most anxiety inducing kind.
However, it was only included a specific and narrowed group, 284 undergraduate psychology
students. Generally, statistic anxiety is most common among students that take classes such as
psychology, education, or sociology, due to the fact that they are less interested in math and
science and are more self critical in these areas. The research stated that state anxiety affected
their academic achievements both negatively and positively. Statistics anxiety had a negative
influence on achievement. However, it also had positive influences by driving motivation. The
journal provided the correlation of the anxious sensations to the levels of achievement, and how
teachers can support their students prior to the exams.
Statistics anxiety is a situation-specic form of anxiety which may be classed with
performance anxieties such as stage fright or maths anxiety.It describes the apprehension
that occurs when an individual is exposed to statistics content, problems, instructional
situations, or evaluative contexts. As statistics-anxious students always experience
anxiety when doing statistics, statistics anxiety describes an enduring, habitual type of
anxiety. (Macher et al., 2013)
Anxiety, apprehension, and inadequate learning behavior are all consequences of this situation..
A survey conducted to students in Germany showed results of 15-20% of students that reported
feeling impaired by nervousness and anxiety in a modest-to [...] high degree in examination
situations. Meta analysis showed that students were more prone to failing an exam, delaying or
dropping out of their degrees. Anxiety can have far reaching and influential bearings beyond just
a single testing situation. There were five categories dealing with statistics anxiety:
(1) test and class anxiety: Anxiety experienced when taking a statistics examination or
when attending a statistics class; (2) interpretation anxiety: Anxiety when being faced
with making decisions from or interpreting statistical data; (3) fear of asking for help:
Anxiety when intending to ask for help on a statistical problem; (4) attitudes towards
statistics teachers; (5) computational self-concept: Self-rated ability to master statistical
tasks;and(6)worth of statistics:Perceived Usefulness Statistics

Antecedents of this study were situation-related antecedentes (based on prior experience,

dispositional antecedents, and environmental antecedents (gender, ethnicity, and age). Some
authors viewed trait anxiety as a unidimensional concept, while others conceptualized it as a
multi-dimensional concepts with varying facets such as reactivity to social evaluation, physical
danger, ambiguity, and daily routines. However, it is coherently understood that trait anxiety
exercises the difference in which individuals respond to stressful situations with varying amounts
of presiding state anxiety.
General trait anxiety has been linked to the application of less efcient cognitive learning
strategies and to a lower investment of individual resources such as attention, effort, or
time (Cassady & Johnson, 2002; Mathews, Davies, Westerman, & Stammers, 2000).
Benjamin, McKeachie, Lin, & Holinger (1981) found that anxious students appeared to
be ineffective learners who did not use adequate cognitive learning strategies for
achievement. They were also less persistent at difcult tasks and invested less effort and
time in learning (Hill & Wigeld, 1984; Pintrich & DeGroot, 1990).
Cognitive interference affects highly anxious students, who are more likely to divert their
attention between exam related (problem solving) and non exam related thoughts (self
evaluation, worry). They are more likely to respond to cues allowing competing thoughts to
interfere with performance. Therefore, anxiety consumes a portion of the processing capacity
that would be needed for task performance. Individuals who are highly tense and worried are
more likely to have lower achievement levels.
Mathematical self concept and interest in statistics are positively related to performance.
As expected, state anxiety during the examination is negatively related to performance (b
= .15). Contrary to initial expectations, statistics anxiety has a small, yet signicant direct
and positive relationship with academic achievement (b = .16). In contrast, statistics
anxiety is also indirectly and negatively related to academic achievement via both state
anxiety measurements (b = .08) Here, a suppression effect can be observed: The bivariate
correlation between statistics anxiety and performance was not signicant, but statistics
anxiety had a twofold effect on performance with a direct positive relationship and an
indirect negative relationship via state anxiety
Overall, females reported higher levels of statistic anxiety, interest and self concept contributed
to performance, and individuals with more proneness to anxious feelings makes them more prone
to stage fright or statistics anxiety. Although, general trait anxiety does exert influence, unique
factors influence state and statistic anxiety.Increased interest and self concept would lead to
better achievement, more cognitive engagement and the use of better learning strategies.
an enduring, habitual type of anxiety Although varying authors stated different relations between
gender and anxiety levels, this specific study showed that gendered had no role on exam
achievement, but rather, females reported a higher percentage of experiencing statistic anxiety,
with an enduring, habitual type of anxiety. Statistics anxiety is not to be attributed with
knowledge.State anxiety caused people to become anxious and carry this feelings throughout the
whole exam. However, it is supported and suggested that different types of anxiety have relation
to positive performance by acting as motivation to avoid consequences such as failure.
Application to Research:

This academic journal is specific towards a type of anxiety and a specific group of people.
However, the general concept where applicable. I did find that the ideas stated in the journal
were quite redundant and repetitive, with the exception of the finding that state anxiety positively
correlated with performance. It also helps add another factor, gender. This may help when
creating a survey to see if females report higher levels of anxiety and if some classes are more
anxiety inducing than others.
McDonald, A. S. (2001). The prevalence and effects of test anxiety in school children
[Abstract]. Educational Psychology: An International Journal of Experimental
Educational Psychology, 21(1), 89-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01443410020019867
Summary:
This abstract cited from a journal published on an online website states that there is a
correlation between test anxiety on students in compulsory education. Test anxiety seems to be
increasing, due to greater frequencies of testing and increased pressure. It suggests that test
anxiety impairs test performance, although many different factors can play a role in this, such as
environment and individual differences. It also lists suggestions for further research, stating that
it is an innovative project that can be implanted for years ahead.
Application to Research
Although this abstract was very short, it provided a definite correlation that could be used as a
subtopic to my overall topic. It states that test anxiety, more or less a temporary condition than a
mental illness, impairs a student's ability to perform their best on a test. This can be supported
through surveys to teachers asking if higher pressure tests, have an overall lower average score
than lower intensity tests. The article is quite old, but it can still be applied to modern settings
and further research may be completed to fill up the empty space.
Novotney, A. (2014, September). College and university counseling center presenting
concerns [Infographic]. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/09/coverpressure.aspx
According to this article from a periodical on the APA website, it states that About one-third
of U.S. college students had difficulty functioning in the last 12 months due to depression, and
almost half said they felt overwhelming anxiety in the last year, according to the 2013 National
College Health Assessment, which examined data from 125,000 students from more than 150
colleges and universities (Novotney, 2014). 30% of students reported that they have considered
attempting suicide at one point, which shows an increase from the 24 % in 2010, according to
PSU psychologist Ben Locke, who also works for the Center for Collegiate Mental Health
(CCMH). In the last decade, counselors for various colleges have been reporting a trend stating
that college student mental health has been worsening. It also states that in order to be
academically prepared, students must also be emotionally and mentally prepared to keep from
dropping out of school. One of the reasons for this increase in students seeking mental help, is
simply due to the fact that more students are attending school (statistics provided in article).
According to the CCMH, colleges have seen an 8% increase in the number of students seeking
help, in the last three years. However, the number of counselors is disproportionate to the student
body and 32% of colleges reported that at some point in the year, they had a waiting list. This is
ironic because most patients feel the need to discuss/ treat their problems at a given time. In a

school with a population greater than 25,000, there has been double the number of students on
the waiting list from 2010, 2012, 35 to 62 students. A bottom line problem is the low investment
and funds needed to fuel this increasingly needed branch. This also means inadequate treatments
and care. A way to treat this issue is to have the students meet with a short period of consultation
in which they are referred to appropriate professional care, instead of an initial lengthy
counseling session. Another approach has been to implement tips and short counseling sessions
via cell phone and technology. Surprisingly, the online treatment yielded better improvement and
state of well being than face to face consultations. People are also attempting to reach outside the
box and some are striving for an [...] increase student motivation, pulling in concepts from the
psychological literature on resilience, growth mindsets and grit. We're taking psychological
concepts that we have been using in one form or another in the clinical setting and helping
faculty think about how they can infuse these concepts into their curriculum or into creating
their classroom climate, (Novotney, 2014). It states that 78% of students initially receive non
professional counseling from family and friends. It also mentions that Active Minds is one of the
primary organizations that battle against the stigma around mental issues. It also strives to raise
awareness about student suicide across campuses. People are realizing that universities as a
whole, not just the counseling centers, must work together in relieving this situation.
Application to Research:
This article is of great help towards my project. It states such relevant information and
statistics.
It also mentions Active Minds, which also happens to be a club at Mt. Hebron, and one
that I am
helping in leading. This opens a gateway to a possible future final project. All the
information in
this article, although not specific to high school students or anxiety, has surely added to
the
evidence and statistics of the mental illness crisis, particularly in college campuses
among
students.
Novotney, A. (2014, September). College and university counseling center presenting
concerns [Infographic]. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/09/coverpressure.aspx
Summary:

A graph provided by the American Psychological Association showed that anxiety levels
increased 9% from 2007 to 2013, with 37% of students reporting anxiety symptoms on college
counseling campuses in 2007, to 46% in 2013. It shows an exponential increase while other
concerns, such as depression and relationship problems stayed at a constant rate from 2007 to
2013, with the percentage of students reporting depression as a main concern staying at a
constant 39%, while relationship concerns stabilized at 36% throughout.
Application to Research:
This provides proof that students, although not high school students, have voluntarily
reported
signs of anxiety. It shows that anxiety is an increasing problem, while other common
counseling
concerns and even depression, have not increased over the past few years. This will
surely
provide background research and statistics for my topic.
Parks, P. J. (2011). What causes anxiety disorders? In Diseases and disorders:
Anxiety disorders (pp. 35-47). San Diego, CA: Reference Point Press.
Summary:
This chapter within this book explains the multiple causes of anxiety disorders.
It is revealed that there are no definite causes to anxiety disorders, but there are multiple theories,
that are supported by scientific findings. There are four main causes: Heredity, life experiences
(trauma), brain chemistry, and personality. Heredity: when one or both parents carry genes that
coordinate with anxiety disorders, or an immediate family members copes with anxiety disorder.
Brain chemistry: imbalance of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin. Personality: having low self
esteem, poor sociability, bad coping skills. Life experience: abuse, violence, and trauma. A
noticeable analogy is: Biology may load the gun, but the environment pulls the trigger (Parks,
2011, p. 36). There are neurotransmitters that are believed to be related to anxiety disorders:
serotonin (helps regulate emotions, feelings, mood), dopamine (emotions, pleasure), epinephrine
(asso. with emotions such as fear, anxiety, panic), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (helps

regulate brains excitation mechanism, prevents neurons from over firing). The RGS2 gene has
also been known to correlate with anxiety disorders.
Application to Research:
This helps shift my research towards a topic that deals with anxiety. If I were to complete a topic
based around increasing levels of anxiety in schools, it would be crucial to know the causes of
these disorders. The text did mention that disorders are more prevalent in those that have a
generic background related with anxiety disorders, and also have environmental or personality
factors that makes them all the more vulnerable.
Physician-assisted suicide fast facts. (2015, June 2). Retrieved September 9,
2015, from CNN Newsource website: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/26/us/
physician-assisted-suicide-fast-facts/
Summary:
According to the article from the news website, physician assisted suicide, is the legally
verified act of injecting, providing, and educating such people about lethal drugs in order to
hasten the time of death. In the U.S, it is currently legal in four states and one county within in a
state. Oregon, Vermont, and Washington have mandated this process by state law, while Montana
and the county of Bernalillo in New Mexico have mandated it by court ruling. Patients must be
diagnosed with a terminal illness and have a condition of less than six months to live. Since it is
permissible by law, physicians may not be accounted for murder by prescribing drugs to patients.
The procedure requires that patients eligible must receive a prescription from a licensed
physician in the state that they are residing in. Brittany Maynard, a 29 year-old with terminal
brain cancer, ends her life under Oregon's Death with Dignity Act. She had moved to Oregon
following her January 1, 2014 prognosis in order to take advantage of the Death with Dignity
law (Physician-assisted suicide, 2015). Physician assisted suicide is not to be confused with
euthanasia, which is the process of aiding in the suicide of another to end pain, but without legal
authority. In June 2007, during the court case of Washington v. Glucksberg, the U.S Supreme
Court stated that state laws against PAS were not unconstitutional and handed the matter over to
state government.
Application to Research:
As much as this article was interesting to read, I think it would be hard to devise a realistic
project and easily gather data for this topic. Since PAS verification is only limited to a few states,
it would be hard to gather statistical data and formulate it into an original research question, that
does not deal greatly with morality and public opinion.
Psychotherapy. (2015). Retrieved January 13, 2016, from National Alliance on Mental
Illness website: https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Treatment/Psychotherapy
Summary:
This article from the NAMI website explains the different types of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy,
or talk therapyis a widely used methodology used to treat mental illnesses. A therapist and a
client explore and discuss a wide arrange of topic such as experiences, feelings, problems,
relationships, etc. Psychotherapy and medication together are presumed to be the most effective
treatment options for mental disorders.

Cognitive behavioral therapy or (CBT) explores a persons thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. A
therapist will aid the patient to recognize unhealthy thought processes and explain how they might
be causing self destructive behaviors/ beliefs. Through uncovering these patterns, the ultimate
goal is to induce more positive and healthier beliefs.
The core principles of CBT are identifying negative or false beliefs and testing or
restructuring them. Oftentimes someone being treated with CBT will have homework in
between sessions where they practice replacing negative thoughts with with more realistic
thoughts based on prior experiences or record their negative thoughts in a journal.
CBT has shown to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating
disorders and schizophrenia. Someone undergoing CBT experiences brain changes, and thus it is
believed to improve brain functioning as well. It is supported by a considerable lot of scientific
data and many mental health professionals are trained in CBT.
Application to Research:
There has been opposing viewpoints regarding CBT. Some sources state that there are ineffective
while a majority have stated that it is effective. Particularly in a school setting, a source has
stated that CBT is effective and could be implemented.
Research conducted at Pennsylvania State University has updated our knowledge about
anxiety disorders (Classification models for subthreshold generalized anxiety disorder in
a college population: Implications for prevention). (2015, September 14). Mental Health
Weekly Digest, 149. Retrieved from Science in Context database.
Summary:
This magazine article from an online database states that a recent study in the
Philadelphia
State University showed that a significant percentage of a college population fell into the
symptoms regarding Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
"Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders on
college campuses and often goes unidentified and untreated. We propose a combined
prevention and treatment model composed of evidence-based self-help (SH) and guided
self-help (GSH) interventions to address this issue" (Research Conducted).
Among 2489 college students (mean age 19.1 years; 67% female), 8.0% (198/2489) met
DSM-5 clinical criteria for GAD, in line with expected clinical rates for this population.
At-risk Model 1 (subthreshold, but considerable symptoms of anxiety) identified 13.7%
of students as potentially at risk for developing GAD. Model 2 (subthreshold, but high
GAD symptom severity) identified 13.7%. Model 3 (subthreshold, but symptoms were
distressing) identified 12.3%. Model 4 (subthreshold, but considerable worry) identified
17.4%. There was little overlap among these models, with a combined at-risk population
of 39.4% (Research Conducted).
Application to Research:
This helps support my topic, and provides statistics that show that a significant
percentage of
students show symptoms of an anxiety disorder. The downside is that this only shows a
limited
population of 2489 college students in one location. Students from different universities
among

different regions of the country may provide varying results.

Schwartz, C., & Froufe, M. (2001). Subliminal messages for increasing self-esteem:
Placebo effect. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 4(1), 19-25. Retrieved from
http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/SJOP/article/viewFile/SJOP0101120019A/29457
Summary:
The info provided by this journal from this website states that the effects of subliminal
messages in audio tapes designed to increase self esteem were meager and rather ineffective.
There were four groups being tested under different circumstances: one group was assigned to
listen to tapes of music with subliminal messages, another listened to a recording of only
subliminal messages, the third only had music, although they believed that it included subliminal
messages, and the final group heard no tapes, but were included in the same self esteem scales.
The participants within the first three groups were all categorized in the same Tennessee Self
Concept Scale (Fitts, 1965) with improvement (p < or = .003). The waiting group, the fourth
group did not improve, with (p = .311). This indicates that a placebo effect was the cause for the
improvement in self esteem, and not the subliminal messages itself. However, the abstract does
include that there may be discrepancies.
Application to Research:
This article is counterintuitive to my research, it actually states that subliminal messages have
meager effect, and rather states the notable effect of placebos. The abstract acknowledges
discrepancies, however. So far, there are sources that point towards the affirmation that
subliminal messages are effective, while others, such as this article, provide data against them. I
will have to look for other data and results to confirm which side holds a stronger reasoning.
Week of 1/4/2016
Scott, E. (2014, April 9). Social causes of school anxiety. Retrieved January 5, 2016, from About
Health website: http://stress.about.com/od/studentstress/a/school_anxiety.htm
Summary:
This article explains the different factors that account school anxiety. Social, scheduling, and
academic factors are a few branches of overarching topics. In depth, some of the factors are:
social stressors, teachers, friends, bullies, overscheduling, lack of family time, not enough sleep,
work that is too easy/hard, mismatched learning styles, homework problems, text anxiety, poor
diet, noise pollution, lack of preparation, and lack of sleep that may cause poor cognitive
functioning, lack of coordination, moodiness, and other negative effects.
Application to Research:
These are factors that can directly be incorporated into my survey. Some of the factors are quite
specific to school, while others are more broad. The broader topics can go into the background
research of my outline. It also gave unexpected factors such as noise pollution. It gave many
factors from personal, to environmental.
Silverman, L. H., Martin, A., Ungaro, R., & Mendelsohn, E. (1978). Effect of subliminal
stimulation of symbiotic fantasies on behavior modification treatment of obesity. Journal
of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(3).
Summary:
This article from a journal describes the effectiveness of subliminal messages on
therapeutic

ways to fight obesity. 30 obese women with ages ranging from 22-59 were placed in a
behavior
modification program. One group was placed in a study over 8 weeks, while the second
was
12 weeks. The programs included subliminal stimulation, with the verbal message of
Mommy
and I are one, used to stimulate symbiotic gratification fantasies, while the others
received a
control message. At the end, weight loss was measured. THe symbiotic message helped
enhance weight loss. This data, along with other studies including schizophrenics and
insect
phobics, supports the notion that subliminal stimulation of symbiotic fantasies can
positively
effect therapeutic interventions.
Application to Research:
This article supports the theory that subliminal messages may be used in therapy. This
particular
instance showed its usage in weight loss, but it suggests that it can be implemented into
many
different settings. The journal is relatively old, which may deduct from its relevance,
however its
findings help confirm that subliminal messages are, in a way, effective. Particularly
symbiotic
and encouraging messages used for obesity programs, schizophrenic treatment,, etc.
Torrey, E. Fuller. Out of the Shadows: Confronting Americas Mental Illness Crisis. New
York City: John Wiley & Sons, 2005. PBS. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Summary:

This article from the PBS website, originally derived from a print source, explains the history
of deinstitutionalization. The deinstitutionalization movement that occurred in the 1960s was the
relocation of the mentally ill from mental institutions to community care centers, and the closing
off of the asylums. This movement was prompted by Thorazine, the first effective antipsychotic
drug. Decades later, this movement has proven to contribute to the mental illness crisis by simply
just relocating the mentally ill, without providing adequate resources. After the closing down of
institutions, most of the mentally ill that slipped through the cracks were imprisoned in jail or
left homeless.
Application to Research:
The application of the historical background of mental illness treatment in the U.S is very much
prevalent in my project. Perhaps the most striking statement used in my research is the fact that
students have the same level of anxiety as asylum patients in the 1950s. The reason is due to the
closing off of mental asylums in the 60s, thus, the patients of the 1950s are the last of the
population accessible to be compared. There is another factor, which is the standards in which
people were sent to mental institutions in the mid 1900s, compared to nowadays.

Twenge, J. M. (2000, December 14). Studies show normal children today report more
anxiety than child psychiatric patients in the 1950s. Retrieved September 16, 2015, from
American Psychological Association website:
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2000/12/anxiety.aspx
Summary:
This article from the APA website states that students have the same amount of anxiety
level
as psychiatric patients in the 1950s. Anxiety symptoms have reached such significant
levels
school children during the 1980s had higher levels than patients in the 1950s. From the
rate of
increase, it suggests that school children nowadays, would have even higher intensities.
The
risin magnitudes will affect other mental health components, such as an increase in
depression
patients and substance (drug and alcohol) abusers, since these factors may triggered by
anxiety.
There will be a higher mortality rate, since there are physical symptoms to anxiety such as
asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease and coronary heart disease
In this instance, it is referred to as trait anxiety, since there are individual differences in the
proneness to anxiety, whereas state anxiety is affected by certain situations. The rise in anxiety
levels is caused by low social connectivity and increased divorce rates, living alone, and a
disconnect of trust in others) and high environmental threat ( violent crime, stresses on nuclear
war and fear of diseases such as AIDS. It also states that media coverages include negative
perception). Although crime rates and fear of nuclear war has diminished, social disconnection is
still a relevant factor that causes anxiety.
Application to Research:

This article provided me with a good foundation for a possible research topic. Since this is a
drastic comparison, it is sure to raise awareness and hopefully help promote awareness for
anxiety.
Understanding academic anxiety [PDF]. (n.d.). Cornell University Center for Learning &
Teaching. Retrieved from
https://lsc.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/anxiety.pdf
Summary:
This PDF file from Cornell University defines anxiety, explains the correlation between
anxiety
and performance, and explains factors and preventable measures. Anxiety is defined as
[...] your bodys way of telling you that there is something in the environment in need of
your attention. It is basically a series of biochemical changes in your brain and body, such
as an increase in adrenaline (causing your heart to beat faster) and a decrease in
dopamine (a brain chemical that helps to block pain). These changes result in a state of
heightened attention to the source of the anxiety. High levels of anxiety cause your body
to prepare to fight or run away from the perceived threat -- commonly called the fightor-flight response. (Understanding academic anxiety, n.d)
It states that although high levels of anxiety can interfere optimal performance by affecting
memory and concentration, anxiety can actually be used as motivation to complete tasks.

Academic anxiety is composed of four factors: worry, emotionality, task-generated interference,

and study skills deficits. Worrying consists of self predicaments of failure and consequences. It
can be treated by positive mental imagery. Emotionality includes biological symptoms such as
sweaty palms, muscle tension, and increased heart rate. It can be treated by muscle and breathing
relaxation exercises. Task- generated interference are behaviors that hold a relation to the task,
but are unproductive and slow the process. This may include constant time checks, or spending
too much time on a question that may stall time. Methods that may reduce interference is
locating and pinpointing the specific problem and consistently working towards decreasing the
frequency of the habitual actions. Study skill deficits include problems within the current study
method that may create anxiety, such as poor note taking skills leading to confusion, or last
minute cramming. Many students experience the first three instances due to study skills deficits.
If anxiety levels are too low, this may cause students to have the same level of poor academic
performance as those with anxiety anxiety levels.

Application to Research:
Although this information is similar to the one on the last reading report, this provides a more
valid source, from the Cornell University, which may aid in strengthening the ethos of my
project. It also categorizes the four factors people may experience, which is nicely organized data
that I may be able to use for my survey.