A Study on the Improvement of Mental Health Status of Teachers’ Occupational Stress and Chronic Anxiety under Aerobic Exercise Alternative Activities

The purpose of this study is to observe the occupational stress and chronic anxiety of college teachers and to carry out alternate activities of aerobic exercise to improve their mental health, the participants are 214 teachers from three universities in Yunnan Province, China. The results show that before the experiment, the overall situation of college teachers’ occupational stress and chronic anxiety is at a high level, while after the experiment, the occupational stress and chronic anxiety of college teachers are significantly relieved. In terms of gender, male teachers have higher occupational stress and chronic anxiety than female teachers before the experiment, and both have a good alleviating effect after the experiment. In terms of length of teaching, teachers with teaching experience of 1–5 years before the experiment have the highest levels of occupational stress and chronic anxiety, followed by teachers with 6–10 years, and finally teachers with more than 10 years. After the experiment, the occupational stress and chronic anxiety of teachers in the three length of teaching groups are significantly reduced to the medium level. In terms of professional titles, the teachers with the titles of teaching assistant and lecturer before the experiment have higher occupational stress and chronic anxiety than those with the titles of associate professor and professor. After the experiment, both of them are significantly reduced to the medium level. Therefore, the impact of aerobic exercise alternate activities on college teachers has a positive improvement effect, which can effectively promote the mental health of college teachers and alleviate the negative situation at work.     

Music performance anxiety and occupational stress amongst opera chorus artists and their relationship with state and trait anxiety and perfectionism

This study explored the inter-relationships among state and trait anxiety, occupational stress, perfectionism, aspiration, and music performance anxiety in a group of elite operatic chorus artists employed full-time by a national opera company. The chorus artists reported higher trait anxiety, higher occupational role concerns, and higher occupational personal strain than normative samples. Higher scores on personal resources were associated with the higher scores on trait anxiety. It appears that these resources were used adaptively to manage anxiety. High trait anxiety was also associated with high personal strain in the work environment. Anxiety was not related to occupational roles or issues related to the physical environment or working conditions. These results suggest that while trait anxiety and music performance anxiety were closely associated, occupational stress makes a separate contribution to the quality of working life experienced by elite choral artists.     

A stress inoculation training program for adolescents in a high school setting: a multiple baseline approach.

This study examined the effectiveness of stress inoculation training with adolescents in a high school setting using a multiple baseline approach. Through this intervention procedure, youths were trained in cognitive restructuring, anxiety management, and problem solving skills. Self-reports of state and trait anxiety were gathered during baseline and each training session. Five of the six youths displayed improvement on state and trait anxiety scores with the initiation of treatment. In addition, significant improvements were noted on pre- to post-assessments of state and trait anxiety and trait anger. Non-significant decreases were evident on self-reports of total, daily, and major negative stress events. No changes occurred on measures of depression, self-esteem, and anger expression. Similar patterns were obtained at a 3 month follow-up.     

Six-week trial with diazepam: some clinical observations

Side effects, improvement, and predictors of response were examined in 295 patients treated for greater than or equal to 1 week with diazepam; 234 of these patients completed 6 weeks of treatment. The greatest improvement occurred during the first week of treatment. Sedation was the predominant side effect. Predictors of improvement included low educational level, lack of previous treatment, presence of precipitating stress, low occupational and/or family adjustment, low levels of trait anxiety, and high levels of state anxiety.     

How Anxious Do You Think I Am? Relationship Between State and Trait Anxiety in Children With and Without ASD During Social Tasks

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit increased anxiety, even in non-stressful situations. We investigate general anxiousness (anxiety trait) and responses to stressful situations (anxiety state) in 22 adolescents with ASD and 32 typically developing controls. We measured trait anxiety with standardized self- and parent-reported questionnaires. We used a Biopac system to capture state anxiety via skin conductance responses, mean heart rate and heart rate variability during high- and low-anxiety tasks. Results reveal higher trait anxiety in adolescents with ASD (p?<?0.05) and no group difference in state anxiety. Increased parent-reported trait anxiety may predict decreased state anxiety during high-stress conditions. Together, these findings suggest that higher trait anxiety may result in dampened physical responses to stress.     

Psychological Support for Public-Funded Normal Students Engaged in Teaching Profession

Among primary and secondary school teachers in China, 70% of teachers believe facing more significant occupational pressure. 63.8% of teachers clearly stated that occupational stress had caused a tremendous impact on them. And this has had adverse effects on them, such as mental, physical, and personal development. This paper studies the group of public-funded regular students from the perspective of psychological support. This paper uses the SCL-90 form to investigate the professional psychology of teachers for the psychological support of public-funded regular students engaged in the teaching profession. And it conducts a survey on the curriculum setting and satisfaction of the public-funded regular students during their study stage. The experimental results of this paper show that only 11.9% of public-funded regular students are very willing to take root and serve township education. Moreover, the psychological pressure of teachers at different educational stages is quite different.     

Reducing Work and Family Conflict in Teachers: A Randomised Controlled Trial of Workplace Triple P

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a workplace parenting intervention aimed at reducing work–family conflict and improving work and family functioning in teachers. One hundred and seven teachers (who were also parents) were randomly allocated to either a Workplace Triple P intervention condition or a waitlist control condition. Analyses indicated the intervention had a positive effect on a range of occupational variables including work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, occupational stress and teaching efficacy. Intervention effects were also found for family- and personal adjustment-related variables including dysfunctional parenting styles, child behaviour, parenting efficacy, and depression and anxiety. Small to large effect sizes were obtained (Cohen’s d = .34–.85), and all intervention effects were maintained at 4-month follow-up. The results indicate that a parenting intervention can reduce work–family conflict and occupational stress and improve family functioning in teachers balancing work and family. The implications for supporting teachers with family interventions delivered in the workplace are discussed.     

Sub-clinical checking compulsions are related to impaired prospective memory independently of depression, anxiety and distractibility

In this study, we explored whether relationships between checking compulsions and prospective memory are a result of the increased levels of distractibility, depression, state and trait anxiety associated with checking compulsions. Students (N=126) completed a prospective memory task and questionnaires which assess the frequency of experiencing prospective memory failures. Checking compulsions were associated with failing the prospective memory task and with self-reported prospective memory failures. Elevations in distractibility, depression, state and trait anxiety associated with checking compulsions had no influence on prospective memory task performance. They contributed to, but did not completely account for, the relationship between checking and self-reported prospective memory. The results support our theory that individuals with checking compulsions have an impaired prospective memory and that their increased experiences with prospective memory failures undermines their trust in the ability to perform tasks, ultimately resulting in intrusive doubts that specific tasks were not performed and the compulsion to check.     

Objective and perceived arousal during performance of tasks with elements of social threat: the influence of anxiety sensitivity

Background and objectives

Physiological arousal serves to maintain social anxiety disorder by skewing self-perception. Anxiety sensitivity is associated with the disorder and exaggerated perceptions of arousal, but has not been tested as explaining exaggerated perceived arousal in social contexts. The aim of this investigation was to address this issue.

Methods

A total of 42 individuals participated in three tasks associated with potential social threat (i.e., a speech, typing task, hyperventilation) and completed measures of trait social anxiety and anxiety sensitivity. State anxiety, perceived arousal, and objective arousal were assessed during each task.

Results

Trait social anxiety and anxiety sensitivity were correlated with state anxiety and perceived arousal, but not objective arousal, during the tasks. Anxiety sensitivity mediated the relationships between trait social anxiety and perceived arousal and between trait social anxiety and state anxiety for the typing and hyperventilation tasks.

Limitations

Although the sample likely included a number of individuals with social anxiety disorder, the sample was mostly comprised of individuals without a diagnosis. The current results can be extended to clinical presentations to some extent, but future research is needed to further explore the demonstrated relationships in samples of individuals with social anxiety disorder.

Conclusions

Anxiety sensitivity may play a crucial role in perceptions of arousal and state anxiety in the context of potential social threats, warranting attention from researchers and clinicians focussing on social anxiety disorder.     

The Urban Teaching Cohort: pre-service training to support mental health in urban schools

Abstract

Supporting students’ mental health needs is critical in high-poverty urban school districts where many students are at risk for mental health problems. Although teacher–student relationships are at the core of student mental health promotion in the classroom, many teacher preparation programmes do not adequately prepare pre-service teachers entering into urban teaching for the realities of urban teaching. Miami University’s Urban Teaching Cohort (UTC) is an innovative, community-based approach to preparing pre-service teachers for work in the field of urban teacher preparation. In this paper, we review research on the challenges impacting the mental health of urban youth, describe how these challenges connect to the work of urban teachers and discuss how urban teacher preparation can help teachers better support students’ mental health. We discuss the elements of the UTC programme and how this preparation approach can help teachers build relationships with urban students and their families, as well as understand their communities from an asset perspective, to create a positive classroom community that supports the mental health of all students. Preliminary qualitative data indicate student and community support for the programme and support the impact of the programme on relationships and teaching practices.     

Combat neurosis in inner-city schools

The author studied 253 classroom teachers who were referred for psychiatric evaluation because of varying degrees of psychological stress and physical trauma. These teachers had experienced actual assault or the threat of assault in inner-city schools. The author evaluated these patients' ego functioning, attitudes, current life situations, and the presence of any predisposing factors. On the basis of these evaluations and using guidelines established in studies of combat neurosis, he recommends that individuals who experience severe occupational stress be provided psychological training to prepare them to handle stress, constant support of and access to people in administrative positions, and a mechanism for crisis intervention.     

A Qualitative Study of the Sources and Impact of Stress Among Urban Teachers

Although urban teachers are at-risk of experiencing significant work-related stress, urban teacher stress has been neglected in the research literature to date. Through semi-structured interviews conducted with a sample of K-4 urban teachers (N = 14) from three high-poverty schools in a large, Midwestern city, we examined teachers’ perceptions regarding sources and impact of stress and the resources needed to address identified stressors. Results from consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill et al. in Couns Psychol, 25:517–572, 1997; Hill et al. in Consensual qualitative research: an update, 2005) suggest that at least one-half of the cases identified lack of resources, excessive workload, school-level disorganization, managing behavior problems, and accountability policies as significant sources of stress. The majority of teachers reported that occupational stress significantly impacted their personal relationships and physical health, and teachers identified human and material resources as most important to reducing work-related stress. Implications for organizationally based interventions and school policies to address urban teacher stress are discussed.     

Trait anxiety moderates the impact of performance pressure on salivary cortisol in everyday life

Stress and negative affective states are associated with cortisol in everyday life. However, it remains unclear what types of stressors and which affective states yield these associations, and the effect of trait anxiety is unknown. This study investigates the associations of specific task-related stressors and negative affective states in everyday life with salivary cortisol, and explores the mediating and moderating role of state negative affect and trait anxiety, respectively. Salivary cortisol, subjective stress, and state negative affect were measured three times a day on 2 days in 71 participants in everyday life, using a handheld computer to collect self-reports and time stamps and an electronic device to monitor saliva sampling compliance. Stress measures comprised the experience of performance pressure and failure during daily tasks; measures of negative affect comprised worn-out, tense, unhappy, and angry. Effects were tested using multilevel fixed-occasion models. Momentary performance under pressure was related to higher momentary cortisol measures, while mean task failure was related to lower daily cortisol concentrations. The association of performance pressure with cortisol varied between subjects, and this variation was explained by trait anxiety, yielding stronger associations in participants scoring high on trait anxiety. No evidence was found for a mediating role of state negative affect. These results describe the well-documented associations of everyday stressors and affect with salivary cortisol more precisely, suggesting that performance pressure is a significant condition related to short-term changes in cortisol. Subjects scoring high on trait anxiety seem to process stress-relevant information in a way that amplifies the association of performance pressure with reactions of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.     

Psychiatric and neurodevelopmental aspects of Becker muscular dystrophy

Little is known about the relationship between Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) and mental disorders. This study aimed to clarify whether BMD is a risk factor for psychiatric diseases. We asked genetically or immunohistochemically confirmed BMD patients to participate in the study interview. Participants who consented to psychiatric tests underwent further assessments of intellectual, psychological, and neurodevelopmental disorders. In total, 76 (73%) of 105 BMD patients (median age, 37 years) completed the interview. Of these, 6 had developmental disorders (mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorder), 33/76 (43%) experienced bullying in school, 11 exhibited problematic behaviors such as cutting class and violent incidents, and 16 had psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia spectrum, 5; depressive spectrum, 4; stress-related disorders, 3; obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, 2; somatic symptom and related disorders, 2; bipolar and related disorders, 1). Mean IQ was normal, whereas 13/40 (32.5%) of participants were in a depressive state. High trait anxiety was found in 20/40 (50%) of patients, while 15/40 (38.5%) were in an anxious state. Review of MRI data from 14 participants revealed brain atrophy caused solely by BMD and unrelated to any other complication. Our findings suggest that BMD patients are at risk of developing psychiatric disorders. Physical handicap or bullying may influence their mental state, as many of them have high trait anxiety. Parents, teachers, and supporters should be mindful of the daily environment of BMD patients and provide support to help them cope with stress.     

Relationships between insomnia,long working hours,and long commuting time among public school teachers in Japan: a nationwide cross-sectional diary study

ObjectivesThe present study aimed to clarify the prevalence and risk factors of insomnia among public school teachers in Japan by examining the relationships between working hours, commuting time, and insomnia. Time spent on work activities among teachers with insomnia was also investigated.MethodsThis study was a secondary analysis of data obtained in a 2016 survey of working conditions among public elementary/junior high school teachers in Japan. A total of 11,390 teachers (women: 47.4%, average age: 42.2 ± 11.3 years) were selected for analysis. The relationships between working hours, commuting time, and insomnia were evaluated using a binomial logistic regression model. The primary outcome was insomnia, defined by a score of ≥6 on the Athens Insomnia Scale. Explanatory factors were working hours/week, commuting time/day, six subscales of occupational stress, age group, presence of children, type of job, type of the school, and the urbanicity of the school.ResultsIn total, 41.7% of men and 44.0% of women were classified into the insomnia group. The insomnia group spent more time preparing for lectures, and a significant association was observed between insomnia and long working hours and commuting time. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that long working hours, long commuting time, and urbanicity of the school were statistically significantly associated with insomnia.ConclusionsInsomnia is common among public school teachers in Japan. Our findings suggest the importance of reducing the time spent on working to prevent insomnia.     

Prevalence of Anxiety and Associated Factors among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Japan

Mental health difficulties can impact students’ motivation, focus, and ability to communicate with others. Students attending medical universities are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other mood changes for the first time. However, no study has examined their prevalence among Japanese rehabilitation students. This study investigated the prevalence of anxiety among Japanese rehabilitation students and aimed to identify its predictors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 148 first-year physical and occupational therapy students at a private medical university in Japan in June 2022. Data on sociodemographic and personal characteristics, such as gender, age, subject major, regular exercise, place of residence, and sleeping hours, were recorded using an original questionnaire. Instruments included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, COVID-19 questionnaire, and Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition (BDI-II). The results indicated that 83 (56%) and 77 (52%) students exhibited state anxiety and trait anxiety symptoms, respectively. Thirty-four (23%) students experienced mild depressive symptoms. Associations were further determined between gender, subject major, handling of stress, loneliness, satisfaction with life, satisfaction with social connections, anxiety about the future, satisfaction with school life, fulfillment of friendships, and depression. Several variables demonstrated a statistically significant association: handling stress (p < 0.05; 95% CI 0.409–2.472), satisfaction with life (p < 0.01; 95% CI 0.500–0.897), anxiety about the future (p < 0.01; 95% CI 1.397–4.087), and depression (total score of BDI-II, p < 0.01; 95% CI 1.555–100.742). Our results emphasize that universities must establish a system for early identification and support of anxiety and depression in students.     

Attachment-security priming attenuates amygdala activation to social and linguistic threat

A predominant expectation that social relationships with others are safe (a secure attachment style), has been linked with reduced threat-related amygdala activation. Experimental priming of mental representations of attachment security can modulate neural responding, but the effects of attachment-security priming on threat-related amygdala activation remains untested. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the present study examined the effects of trait and primed attachment security on amygdala reactivity to threatening stimuli in an emotional faces and a linguistic dot-probe task in 42 healthy participants. Trait attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were positively correlated with amygdala activation to threatening faces in the control group, but not in the attachment primed group. Furthermore, participants who received attachment-security priming showed attenuated amygdala activation in both the emotional faces and dot-probe tasks. The current findings demonstrate that variation in state and trait attachment security modulates amygdala reactivity to threat. These findings support the potential use of attachment security-boosting methods as interventions and suggest a neural mechanism for the protective effect of social bonds in anxiety disorders.     

“Positive Attitude”: A multilevel model analysis of the effectiveness of a Social and Emotional Learning Program for Portuguese middle school students

This study investigated the impact, reported by students and their teachers, of a universal, school-based, social-emotional learning program, implemented in three school years on the social-emotional competencies of middle school students (7th to 9th grade). It also analyzes, at post-test and follow-up, the differential results by gender and among students with lower levels of competence. There were 1091 participants, 855 students received the treatment condition (i.e., Project Attitude) and 236 students the control condition. Self-reports identified positive intervention results in social awareness, self-control, self-esteem, social isolation and social anxiety, teachers reported gains in all dimensions. These positive effects were stably effective along the three cohorts. Self-reports also identified bigger gains for girls in social awareness and for boys in social anxiety, self-esteem and leadership. Students with initial lower levels of competence benefited more from the intervention, especially at follow-up. These results support the effectiveness of social-emotional learning programs.     

Preparing for school crises: administrator perceptions on supports for teachers

Traumatic events and crises involving schools and children often become high-profile occurrences; however, little attention is given to teachers and how they cope with crisis. The purpose of this study was to investigate administrators' perceptions of including additional support for teachers in school crisis policies. Specifically, the study examined principal leadership, stage of change, self-efficacy, training in mental health/illness, and perceived barriers and their relation to including supports for teachers in crisis policy. Total 113 principals from one Midwestern state completed an online survey that assessed principal leadership, self-efficacy, stage of change, training in mental health/illness, and demographic information. Results suggest that most principals endorsed having specific supports in place for teachers during crises. Schools were less likely to currently have crisis plans/policies when the administrator reported the stage as relapse/pre-contemplation, contemplation, or preparation, than when an ‘action/maintenance’ stage was reported. There was no statistically significant relationship between the existence of crisis plans/policies and the training status (yes or no) of the administrator, general self-efficacy, principal leadership or perceived total barriers after controlling for stage. General self-efficacy was not found to be a significant predictor of stage, whereas leadership and barriers were significant predictors. Financial limitations were the most commonly cited barrier to providing additional supports to teachers during crises. Overall, most administrators indicate having policies that support teachers following crises; however, principal leadership, general self-efficacy, training, and barriers did not surface as significant predictors of existing policy. Barriers and leadership were significant predictive variables of stage of change, highlighting their importance in school change and reform efforts pertaining to crisis response.