The effect of physical activity on sleep quality, well-being, and affect in academic stress periods

The stress-buffering hypothesis postulates that physical activity and exercise can buffer the negative effects of (academic) stress on health. It still remains an open question whether students, who regularly engage in physical activity and exercise within their academic examination period, can successfully diminish these negative effects. Sixty-four subjects participated in this study and completed a total of five surveys, with T1 at the end of the semester break (baseline) and T2-T5 being presented every Friday in the last 4 weeks of the semester (examination period). They were asked to answer questions about their activity level, sleep quality, well-being and affect. Hierarchical linear models showed significant dependencies on time for all dependent measures. The expansion of the model for exercise also showed significant main effects of this predictor on well-being and positive affect (PA) and negative affect. Moreover, significant interactions with time for sleep quality and PA were found. Results suggest that physical activity and exercise in the academic examination period may be able to buffer the negative effects of stress on health-related outcomes. Therefore, activity levels should be maintained in times of high stress to prevent negative effects on sleep, well-being and affect in students.

Perceived stress, physiological stress reactivity, and exit exam performance in a prelicensure Bachelor of Science nursing program

Objectives High-stakes exams are a source of chronic stress that may adversely affect nursing students' thinking, behavior, and overall health. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships of perceived stress, physiological stress reactivity, and exit exam performance. Methods A within-subjects design allowed measurement of perceived stress, salivary cortisol, and salivary alpha amylase in pre-licensure nursing students under two different conditions: a high-stakes exit exam and a low-stakes homework assignment. Results Perceived stress and salivary alpha amylase were significantly higher after the high-stakes exam compared to the homework condition. Perceived stress after the exam was correlated with lower exam score. Conclusion Study findings suggest that in response to a high-stakes exam, prelicensure nursing students experience high levels of perceived stress coupled with sympathetic activation but not activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis.

The dynamic experience of taking an examination: Ever changing cortisol and expectancy for success

BACKGROUND

This study examined the relations between students' expectancies for success and a physiological component of test anxiety, salivary cortisol, during an authentic testing setting.

AIMS

The aim of the study was to better understand the connection between shifts in students' control appraisals and changes in the physiological component of test anxiety.

SAMPLE

The study comprised 45 undergraduate engineering majors in the United States.

METHODS

Survey data concerning students' expectancy for success and saliva samples were taken before, during and after the practice midterm examination prior to their actual in-class examination.

RESULTS

Students' expectancy for success declined during the examination while cortisol levels declined from the beginning to middle of the examination and began to increase again as a function of time. Although students' initial levels of expectancy for success and cortisol were not correlated, there was a negative relation between change in cortisol and change in expectancy for success.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates a relation between salivary cortisol, a physiological component of test anxiety and students' expectancy for success in an authentic testing context. Most students saw a decrease in cortisol during the examination, suggesting anticipatory anxiety prior to the test and a return to homeostasis as the examination progressed. Some students, however, did not see a declination in cortisol, suggesting they may not have recovered from pre-examination anxiety. The negative relation between change in cortisol and expectancy for success suggests that students who had the greatest decrease in expectancy for success saw the smallest recovery in cortisol.

Integrating "Super Skills for Exams" Programme in the School Curriculum to Support Adolescents Preparing for Their National Examinations in Turkey

Examination stress is the most common stressor reported by adolescents across the globe. Exam stress involves mental distress related to anticipated academic challenges or fear of failure in the examinations, test anxiety, or fear of being unable to meet certain expectations of themselves or others. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic resilience program (Super Skills for Exams; SSE), when integrated in the school curriculum and delivered by the school counsellors, in reducing exam stress among adolescents who are preparing for their national examinations. SSE is based on the principles of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), behavioural activation, and social skills training, and includes sessions in promoting healthy lifestyles. Participants were 7129 (3661 female and 3468 male) adolescents in grades 7 and 8, from all the 245 secondary schools from Ugur College in seven regions and 31 cities across Turkey. All the participants completed a set of questionnaires to measure self-efficacy for learning and test anxiety, academic stress, emotion regulation, and lifestyles. Results revealed significant reduction in academic stress (i.e., test anxiety, work pressure, self-expectation, and despondency) and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, and significant increase in self-efficacy and adaptive regulation strategies following the intervention. Adolescents who participated in SSE reported an increase in the consumption of healthy food. This study provides preliminary empirical support for the integration of SSE within the school curriculum for helping adolescents cope with exam stress as they prepare for their national exams.

Examination-related anticipatory levels of dehydroepiandrosterone and cortisol predict positive affect, examination marks and support-seeking in college students

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol release appear to have contrasting effects on stress perception during stressful tasks. This study aimed to investigate anticipatory examination stress in college students by considering DHEA, cortisol, psycho-emotional aspects and examination performance. Seventy-six students (66 females, 10 males; age range 18-25 years) provided saliva samples and completed questionnaires in two sessions 48 hours apart. During the second session, the students performed the examination. The questionnaires used were the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, and the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory. DHEA, cortisol, anxiety and negative affect showed an anticipatory rise before the examination (all ps < 0.001). This rise of DHEA and cortisol was associated with lower positive affect (p = 0.001 and p = 0.043, respectively). However, only the DHEA anticipatory levels were linked to poorer examination marks (p = 0.020). Higher levels of the DHEA/cortisol ratio in anticipation of the examination were related to lower scores on the support-seeking strategy (p = 0.022). There was no association between DHEA and cortisol levels and anxiety, negative affect, active and avoidant coping strategies, or academic record. These results suggest that how DHEA and cortisol respond in anticipation of examination stress significantly impacts students' emotional well-being during examination periods and how they cope with stress. They also suggest that levels of DHEA in anticipation of an academic stressor have detrimental effects on stress management.

Role of Meditation in Ameliorating Examination Stress Induced Changes in Cardiovascular and Autonomic Functions

Background

Examination stress is a very well-known model of psychological stress in students. It induces changes in systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), along with changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), due to autonomic perturbations.

Purpose

To find out if Raj Yoga meditation (RYM) practice affects autonomic and cardiovascular function in healthy young subjects during periods of examination stress. Our primary objective was to evaluate the effect of one month of supervised RYM practice on ameliorating examination-induced changes in cardiovascular and autonomic function. The secondary objective was to measure the stress levels of medical students before and after RYM.

Methods

Pre-training measurements of SBP, DBP, HRV, and BRS were done, and the Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ) was administered to 80 participants one month before examinations. They were then trained in RYM. Post-training assessment of the same parameters was done after examinations and also after two months.

Results

In our study, RYM training decreased DBP (p = 0.01) but not SBP. BRS showed a trend towards an increase after RYM practice, but it was not statistically significant (p = 0.44). The standard deviation of the NN interval (SDNN) (p = 0.03), low-frequency (LF) nu (0.003), and high-frequency (HF) nu (0.04) showed a statistically significant change. Average RR, median RR, average rate, square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (RMSSD), pRR, total power, LF (µs2), and LF/HF ratio were not statistically significantly different between the three groups. There was a statistically significant decline in MSSQ scores for MSSQ I (p = 0.04), MSSQ II (p = 0.04), and MSSQ IV (p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Short-term practice of supervised RYM during stressful periods is protective for the cardiovascular and autonomic systems and decreases stress in medical students.

Coping with Examination Stress: An Emotion Analysis

Stress is an important factor affecting human behavior, with recent works in the literature distinguishing it as either productive or destructive. The present study investigated how the primary emotion of stress is correlated with engagement, focus, interest, excitement, and relaxation during university students' examination processes. Given that examinations are highly stressful processes, twenty-six postgraduate students participated in a four-phase experiment (rest, written examination, oral examination, and rest) conducted at the International Hellenic University (IHU) using a modified Trier protocol. Network analysis with a focus on centralities was employed for data processing. The results highlight the important role of stress in the examination process; correlate stress with other emotions, such as interest, engagement, enthusiasm, relaxation, and concentration; and, finally, suggest ways to control and creatively utilize stress.