The use of relaxation techniques in daily life is an effective means for the self-management of stress. Acupressure is a traditional technique where pressure is applied to acupuncture points instead of puncturing the ...The use of relaxation techniques in daily life is an effective means for the self-management of stress. Acupressure is a traditional technique where pressure is applied to acupuncture points instead of puncturing the skin. Self-administered acupressure is a potential method for dealing with stress. The effect of self-administered acupressure on anxiety has been examined but whether it can reduce perceived stress over longer periods is unknown. This study aimed to examine whether a self-administered, four-week acupressure intervention would reduce perceived stress over the past month. Fifteen male and nine female college students (age, 28.9 ± 8.51 yr) majoring in acupuncture and moxibustion medicine were randomly assigned to self-acupressure (AG) and control groups (CG). AG participants were instructed to conduct five sessions of acupressure in the morning, midday, and night. Each session included pressing six acupressure points on the neck (three points on the left and right side each) for five seconds. CG participants were asked to spend their daily life as usual. The outcome was the perceived stress level during the past month, which was assessed using a reliable and valid four-item scale. Perceived stress was measured at baseline, two weeks later, and after intervention. The stress level did not significantly differ between the two groups at baseline. In the AG, the stress level decreased from baseline to two weeks later and remained constant until the end of intervention. The stress level was significantly lower in the AG than in the CG only after intervention. These results provided initial evidence that self-administered acupressure reduces perceived stress over the past month.展开更多
Background: Negative stress symptoms are reported in the literature among clinical dental and medical students and can include signs of anxiety or depression. However, very little has been researched about existing ps...Background: Negative stress symptoms are reported in the literature among clinical dental and medical students and can include signs of anxiety or depression. However, very little has been researched about existing psychological preconditions of these students that could make them more vulnerable to negative stress symptoms. Objective: The aims were to explore first year clinical dental and medical students’ experiences of stress intensity, stress sensitivity and signs of anxiety or depression. Gender was also explored as a possible predictor of these psychosocial phenomena. Methods: First year clinical students at Aarhus University dental (n = 49) and medical schools (n = 59) were recruited to fill out a 45-item questionnaire that comprised demographics and three scales: Cohens Perceived Personal Stress (PPS-10), Stress Sensitivity Inventory (SSI) and Depression Anxiety & Stress Scale (DASS-21). Groups and genders were compared by frequency and using association statistics, bivariate odds ratios, nominal logistic regression and ANOVA. Results: Stress intensity perceptions were moderate to high for many. Dental students scored higher than medical students on all mean test scores. In general, women showed higher levels of stress than men. Dental students scored significantly higher than medical students on Depression, Anxiety and Chronic Stress with ANOVA tests. However, when gender, age and medical or dental student status were added into a logistic regression analysis in which high stress sensitivity was the main dependent variable, only high scores in perceived stress intensity and signs of depression and anxiety showed significant main effects. Conclusion: Present study confirmed the literature that reports high degrees of stress among dental and medical students. But more importantly, Stress Sensitivity Inventory appeared to be a reliable and excellent predictor of high perceived stress and signs of depression and anxiety. It can be useful to detect and prevent student psychosocial dysfunction in clinical learning environments. An important challenge for medical and dental educational institutions is to provide specific student emotional support as early as needed as well as to consider appropriate stress prevention curriculum reforms.展开更多
文摘The use of relaxation techniques in daily life is an effective means for the self-management of stress. Acupressure is a traditional technique where pressure is applied to acupuncture points instead of puncturing the skin. Self-administered acupressure is a potential method for dealing with stress. The effect of self-administered acupressure on anxiety has been examined but whether it can reduce perceived stress over longer periods is unknown. This study aimed to examine whether a self-administered, four-week acupressure intervention would reduce perceived stress over the past month. Fifteen male and nine female college students (age, 28.9 ± 8.51 yr) majoring in acupuncture and moxibustion medicine were randomly assigned to self-acupressure (AG) and control groups (CG). AG participants were instructed to conduct five sessions of acupressure in the morning, midday, and night. Each session included pressing six acupressure points on the neck (three points on the left and right side each) for five seconds. CG participants were asked to spend their daily life as usual. The outcome was the perceived stress level during the past month, which was assessed using a reliable and valid four-item scale. Perceived stress was measured at baseline, two weeks later, and after intervention. The stress level did not significantly differ between the two groups at baseline. In the AG, the stress level decreased from baseline to two weeks later and remained constant until the end of intervention. The stress level was significantly lower in the AG than in the CG only after intervention. These results provided initial evidence that self-administered acupressure reduces perceived stress over the past month.
文摘Background: Negative stress symptoms are reported in the literature among clinical dental and medical students and can include signs of anxiety or depression. However, very little has been researched about existing psychological preconditions of these students that could make them more vulnerable to negative stress symptoms. Objective: The aims were to explore first year clinical dental and medical students’ experiences of stress intensity, stress sensitivity and signs of anxiety or depression. Gender was also explored as a possible predictor of these psychosocial phenomena. Methods: First year clinical students at Aarhus University dental (n = 49) and medical schools (n = 59) were recruited to fill out a 45-item questionnaire that comprised demographics and three scales: Cohens Perceived Personal Stress (PPS-10), Stress Sensitivity Inventory (SSI) and Depression Anxiety & Stress Scale (DASS-21). Groups and genders were compared by frequency and using association statistics, bivariate odds ratios, nominal logistic regression and ANOVA. Results: Stress intensity perceptions were moderate to high for many. Dental students scored higher than medical students on all mean test scores. In general, women showed higher levels of stress than men. Dental students scored significantly higher than medical students on Depression, Anxiety and Chronic Stress with ANOVA tests. However, when gender, age and medical or dental student status were added into a logistic regression analysis in which high stress sensitivity was the main dependent variable, only high scores in perceived stress intensity and signs of depression and anxiety showed significant main effects. Conclusion: Present study confirmed the literature that reports high degrees of stress among dental and medical students. But more importantly, Stress Sensitivity Inventory appeared to be a reliable and excellent predictor of high perceived stress and signs of depression and anxiety. It can be useful to detect and prevent student psychosocial dysfunction in clinical learning environments. An important challenge for medical and dental educational institutions is to provide specific student emotional support as early as needed as well as to consider appropriate stress prevention curriculum reforms.
