ABSTRACT
Introduction: Medical education is perceived as stressful. As excessive stress hampers students' performance, stress management is required for medical students. This study was aimed to assess the effect of Mind Sound Technology (MST), an intelligence enhancing program, on psychological well-being of medical undergraduates during exam stress. Materials and Methods: Forty-two medical students were recruited and Dukes Health Profile scoring was done at baseline and during Exam Stress (ES). After pre-intervention measurements, the students were randomized into two groups: non-practitioners and MST practitioners. Post-intervention measurement was done at the end of 6 weeks when the students had examination. Results: Students showed a significant increase (P < 0.001) in negative health scores like perceived health scores, anxiety, and depression and a significant decrease (P < 0.001) in positive health scores like Self-Esteem, Mental Health Score, Social Health Score, and General Health Score during exam when compared with baseline. MST practice increased positive health scores (P < 0.001) and decreased perceived health score (P < 0.01), anxiety, depression, and anxiety-depression scores significantly (P < 0.001) when compared with ES score. Non practitioners did not show any significant change in any of the scores when compared with ES score. Six weeks of MST practice by medical students have improved the academic scores (P < 0.05) when compared with their non-practitioner counterpart. Conclusion: Thus, practice of MST has helped in coping up the stress that occurs during examination and improved academic performance in medical undergraduates.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Behavior Control/methods , Behavior Control/psychology , Education, Medical, Undergraduate , Educational Technology/methods , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Health/classification , Psychological Tests , Psychology, Educational/methods , Stress, Psychological/etiology , Stress, Psychological/prevention & control , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Students, Medical/psychology , Teaching Materials , Test Taking Skills/methods , Test Taking Skills/psychology , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
Stress is inevitable in today’s world however people are different in the way they cope with stress. This study investigated the variable response to stress by the 1ST M.B.B.S. students during their 1ST credit examination. Thirty three male students participated in the study. They were divided into 2 groups, Group I- having less than 6 hours sleep, Group II-having more than 6 hours sleep before exam. Pulse rate was significantly higher in both the groups pre- examination (88±8.4 vs.78±4.47/min and 83.26± 9.96 vs 75.26±9.21/ min) Pre examination Systolic (118±7.27 vs 110±7.37mmHg) as well as Diastolic Blood Pressure (77.89±5.47 vs 72.1±5.05 mmHg) was significantly higher in group II. However the same was not significantly different in group I. On comparing the two groups pre exam none of parameters were significantly different while post exam only systolic BP was significantly higher in group I. Marks obtained in 3 subjects by two groups were not significantly different. Students vary in their response to stress as reflected in the sleep hours, reading habits & cardiac responses. Students having an abnormal sympathetic nerve activity at rest & in response to stressor, may be more susceptible to hypertension in future. The students should be screened and those showing sustained BP response should be followed up periodically.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the characters of ERP in undergraduates with different trait anxiety during exam stress. Methods: By the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, one group of 15 undergraduates with high trait anxiety and another group with low trait anxiety were chosen from 200 participants in Band 4 College English Test. Their change of P3 were observed through NeuroScan 32 Channel ERP System during pre- exam and post- exam. Results: The amplitude of P3 of the group with low trait anxiety was enhanced while another group with high trait anxiety had no significant difference after exam; The latency of P3 of the group with low trait anxiety were decreased while another group with high trait anxiety had no significant difference after exam; There weren’t significant differences in amplitude and latency of P3 between high trait anxiety group and low trait anxiety group before exam; There were significant enhance of amplitude of P3 and decrease of latency of P3 in low trait anxiety group after exam as compared with high trait anxiety group. Conclusion: The result suggests different trait anxiety groups have different cognitive functions. When confronting with the same stress.