A Stress Inoculation Program to Cope with Test Anxiety: Differential Efficacy As a Function of Worry Or Emotionality
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A Stress Inoculation Program to Cope with Test Anxiety: Differential Efficacy as a Function of Worry or Emotionality Programa de inoculación de estrés para hacer frente a la ansiedad ante los exámenes: eficacia diferencial en función de la preocupación o emocionalidad Programa de inoculação de stress para fazer frente à ansiedade ante os exames: eficácia diferencial em função da preocupação ou emocionalidade. Isabel Serrano Pintado,* Juan Delgado Sánchez-Mateos,* M. Camino Escolar-Llamazares** *Salamanca University, Spain. **Burgos University, Spain. Doi: dx.doi.org/10.12804/apl34.1.2016.01 Abstract different Worry and Emotionality groups. Conclusion: The three different training programmes reduced test Objective: This study experimentally investigated whe- anxiety but did not lead to reductions on the same scale ther the effects of three different coping programs desig- in pre-test anxiety in different groups of emotionality ned to reduce test anxiety were due to the predominant and worry. These results could be decisive in the phase component of participants’ anxiety. Design: The study of selection of the most suitable treatment for the patient involved 259 participants, high text anxiety university along the therapeutic process. students, real clinical cases collected and studied du- Keywords: worry; emotionality; test anxiety; treatment; ring eight years. The experimental sample was finally university students; state-trait anxiety. composed of 94 selected participants with irrational test anxiety. The experimental factors were: Therapy (in- Resumen tra-subject factor, pre and post- intervention), Treatment (cognitive, physiological and cognitive-physiological), Objetivo: Este estudio investigó experimentalmente si Worry (high-low) and Emotionality (high-low). Measu- los efectos de tres programas diferentes de afrontamien- res: Several anxiety questionnaires (TAS, TAI, ITA, CI, to, diseñados para reducir la ansiedad ante los exámenes, STAI) were used as indicators of anxiety. Results: Using se deben al componente predominante de la ansiedad de confidence intervals, we found evidence of changes in los participantes. Diseño: El estudio incluyó 259 par- the level of measured anxiety in varied degree in the ticipantes, estudiantes universitarios con alta ansiedad * Isabel Serrano Pintado, profesora del Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológico, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Salamanca, España; Juan Delgado Sánchez-Mateos, profesor del Departamento de Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Salamanca. ** M. Camino Escolar Llamazares, profesora del Área de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológico, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Burgos, España. Correspondence: M. Camino Escolar Llamazares, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Burgos, Paseo Comendadores s/n. Burgos, 09001, España. E-mail: [email protected] How to cite this article: Serrano, I., Delgado, J., & Escolar-Llamazares, M. C. (2016). A stress inoculation program to cope with test anxiety: differential efficacy as a function of worry or emotionality.Avances en Psicología Latinoamericana, 34(1), 3-18. doi: dx.doi.org/10.12804/apl34.1.2016.01 Avances en Psicología Latinoamericana / Bogotá (Colombia) / Vol. 34(1) / pp. 3-18 / 2016 / ISSNe2145-4515 3 Isabel Serrano Pintado, Juan Delgado Sánchez-Mateos, M. Camino Escolar-Llamazares ante los exámenes, casos clínicos reales recogidos y dência de mudanças no nível de ansiedade medido em estudiados durante ocho años. La muestra experimental um grau variado nos diferentes grupos de Preocupação quedó formada por 94 participantes seleccionados con e Emocionalidade. Conclusão: os três programas de ansiedad irracional ante los exámenes. Los factores treinamento reduzem a ansiedade ante os exames, mas experimentales fueron: terapia (factor intrasujeto, pre esta redução não se produz na mesma medida nos dife- y postintervención), tratamiento (cognitivo, fisiológi- rentes grupos de emocionalidade e preocupação. Estes co y cognitivo-fisiológico),preocupación (alta-baja) y resultados poderiam ser decisivos na fase de seleção do emocionalidad (alta-baja). Medidas: Se utilizaron varios tratamento mais adequado para o paciente ao longo do cuestionarios de ansiedad (TAS, TAI, ITA, IC, STAI) processo terapêutico. como indicadores de ansiedad. Resultados: Utilizando Palavras-chave: preocupação, emocionalidade, ansieda- intervalos de confianza, se encontró evidencia de cam- de ante os exames, tratamento, estudantes universitários, bios en la ansiedad, medida en un grado variado en los ansiedade estado-rasgo. diferentes grupos de preocupación y emocionalidad. Conclusión: Los tres programas de entrenamiento redu- cen la ansiedad ante los exámenes; pero no se produce Many college students need to solve the pro- en la misma medida en los diferentes grupos de emo- blem that causes them test anxiety (Cunha & Paiva, cionalidad y de preocupación. Los resultados podrían 2012; Escalona & Miguel-Tobal, 1996; Lowe & ser decisivos en la fase de selección del tratamiento Ang, 2012; Miralles & Hernández, 2012; Oreju- más adecuado para el paciente a lo largo del proceso do, Herero, Ramos, Turrado & Nuño, 2007). The terapéutico. importance of the negative consequences that this Palabras clave: preocupación; emocionalidad; ansiedad type of anxiety has on students (Amutio & Smith ante los exámenes; tratamiento; estudiantes universita- 2008; Bonaccio, Reeve & Winford, 2012; Conley & rios; ansiedad estado-rasgo. Lehman, 2012; Gutiérrez-Calvo, 1996; Miralles & Sanz, 2011; Nemati & Habibi, 2012; Polo, Hernán- Resumo dez & Pozo, 1996; Szafranski, Barrera & Norton, 2012) makes it necessary to implement treatment Objetivo: Este estudo pesquisou experimentalmente se programs to control this type of anxiety and deve- os efeitos de três programas diferentes de afrontamento, lop effective therapeutic methods that are based desenhados para reduzir a ansiedade ante os exames, on studies of their effectiveness (Zeidner, 2007). devem-se ao componente predominante da ansieda- Emotion-oriented behavioral interventions are de dos participantes. Desenho: O estudo incluiu 259 mainly effective in the reduction of the emotional participantes, estudantes universitários com alta ansie- component of test anxiety. Cognitive interventions dade ante os exames, casos clínicos reais recolhidos e appear to be more successful than the behavioral estudados durante oito anos. A amostra experimental interventions in the reduction of the responses ficou formada por 94 participantes selecionados com of test anxiety, both in emotional and cognitive ansiedade irracional ante os exames. Os fatores ex- components. Despite of this fact, by themselves in perimentais foram Terapia (fator intra-sujeito, pré e isolation, these two types of intervention (behavio- pós-intervenção), Tratamento (cognitivo, fisiológico ral and cognitive) do not seem to improve perfor- e cognitivo-fisiológico), Preocupação (alta-baixa) e mance. Cognitive-behavioral combination seems Emocionalidade (alta-baixa). Medidas: Vários questio- to be the most effective intervention in the treat- nários de ansiedade (TAS, TAI, ITA, IC, STAI) foram ment of test anxiety (Allen, 1980; Ergene, 2003; utilizados como indicadores de ansiedade. Resultados: Erwin-Grabner, Goodill, Hill & Neida, 1999; Esco- utilizando intervalos de confiança, encontramos evi- lar & Serrano, 2012; Hembree, 1988; Hernández, 4 Avances en Psicología Latinoamericana / Bogotá (Colombia) / Vol. 34(1) / pp. 3-18 / 2016 / ISSNe2145-4515 A Stress Inoculation Program to Cope with Test Anxiety: Differential Efficacy as a Function of Worry or Emotionality Pozo & Polo, 1994; Paulman & Kennelly, 1984; siological components of test anxiety. Finger and Serrano & Delgado, 1991; Serrano, Escolar & Del- Galassi (1977) obtained similar results. However, gado, 2002; Sharma, 2002; Spielberger, Gonzalez other studies have reported that cognitive therapy & Fletcher, 1979; Vagg & Spielberger, 1995). is more effective than behavioral therapy (Holroyd, On the other hand, different studies seem to 1976; Kaplan, McCordick & Twitchell, 1979). support the effectiveness of study skills training On these grounds it seems to be necessary to combined (not implemented in isolation) with take into account the patient characteristics con- cognitive, behavioral or cognitive-behavioral the- cerning the different components of test anxiety. In rapy to improve performance and decrease test this way, therapy for students who have test anxiety anxiety response (Ergene, 2003; Erwin-Grabner will be optimized. et al., 1999; Escolar & Serrano, 2012; Furlan, Our study, responding to this problem, compa- Sanchez-Rosas, Sebastián-Piemontesi & Illbele, res the effects of two types of intervention, cog- 2009; Hernández et al., 1994; Miralles & Hernán- nitive and relaxation training, taking into account dez, 2012; Miralles & Sanz, 2011; Sapp, 1999; the levels of worry and emotionality recorded with Sharma, 2002; Spielberger et al., 1979; Vagg & different instruments for assessing the test anxiety. Spielberger, 1995). To this purpose we used the strategy of dismantling While many intervention programs have been a program that includes cognitive training and re- effective in reducing test anxiety, it is also true laxation. In a previous study (Serrano, Delgado & that the type of intervention most appropriate for a Escolar, 2010) we presented the results obtained particular patient type is not yet firmly