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Zhang Y, Yang XX, Luo JY, Liang M, Li N, Tao Q, Ma LJ, Li XM. Randomized trial estimating effects of hypnosis versus progressive muscle relaxation on medical students’ test anxiety and attentional bias. World J Psychiatry 2022; 12:801-813. [PMID: 35978973 PMCID: PMC9258271 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i6.801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Test anxiety is prevalent among medical students and leads to impaired academic performance. Test-related attentional bias has been identified as an important maintaining factor in test-anxious individuals.
AIM To evaluate whether hypnosis and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) could modify medical college students’ test anxiety and attentional bias.
METHODS A total of 598 medical students were screened. The participants were divided into higher and lower test anxiety groups according to their scores on the test anxiety scale (TAS). Ninety medical college students with high TAS score were randomly assigned to a hypnosis or PMR group. Another 45 students with low TAS score were included, forming a baseline control group. The intervention was conducted weekly for 6 wk, and each session lasted approximately 30 min. The total intervention time and the number of intervention sessions for the hypnosis and PMR groups were equal. Data were collected at the pretest, posttest, and 2-mo follow-up.
RESULTS Hypnosis group participants had a significantly lower TAS score at posttest (t = -21.827, P < 0.001) and at follow-up (t = -14.824, P < 0.001), compared to that at pretest. PMR group participants also had a significantly lower TAS score at posttest (t = -10.777, P < 0.001) and at follow-up (t = -7.444, P < 0.001), compared to that at pretest. At the posttest level, the hypnosis group had a significantly lower TAS score than the PMR group (t = -3.664, P < 0.001). At the follow-up level, the hypnosis group also had a significantly lower TAS score than the PMR group (t = -2.943, P = 0.004). Clinically significant improvement was found in both the hypnosis and PMR groups (hypnosis = 64.0%; PMR = 62.22%). Hypnosis was more effective than PMR in reducing test anxiety among medical college students. Hypnosis could modify attentional bias toward threatening stimuli, but PMR could not.
CONCLUSION These results suggest that attentional bias plays an important role in test anxiety treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- Affiliated Psychological Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- The Fourth People’s Hospital, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Anhui Mental Health Center, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
| | - Xin-Xin Yang
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
| | - Jing-Yi Luo
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
| | - Meng Liang
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
| | - Ni Li
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
| | - Qian Tao
- Department of Psychology, School of Basic Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Li-Jun Ma
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Department of Psychology, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246011, Anhui Province, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Li
- Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
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