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International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences
Volume: 3, Issue: 1; Jan- June 2014
Academic Anxiety among Student and the Management
through Yoga
Dr. Kamakhya Kumar1 & Dr Somdutta Tiwary2
1. Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Yoga & Health, Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar
2. Health officer, All State Group of Companies, Nariman Point, Mumbai, Maharastra
Abstract
Back ground: The college going students experience a lot of stress, which increase when they
prepare for the examination. Yoga as an anxiolytic tool in anxiety reduction has been
practiced over centuries in India.
Aim: The present study aims to observe the effect of Yogic intervention over academic
anxiety level among college going students.
Method: A pre- post research study was conducted at a inter college of a developing town of
Uttrakhanda. Thirty students were selected through random sampling for the Yogic
intervention and were exposed to yogic practice daily for half an hour for 45 days.
Results: The statistical results showed a significant reduction in the academic anxiety level of
the subjects.
Conclusions: Academic anxiety is one of the major problems with the young generation
facing now days, Yogic intervention was found to reduce the academic anxiety level of the
subjects.
Key Words: Academic anxiety, Asana, Pranayama & Meditation
Introduction
Yoga has its origins in ancient India and in
its original form, spiritual, moral and
material included a system of practices.
The central and common aspects of the
practice today, focusing the mind to
achieve relaxation and wellness that aims
to enhance various physical postures
(asanas) and breathing exercises
(pranayama) are located. Various health
benefits of yoga have been described in
previous studies. Many studies reported on
anxiety, stress reduction and general well
being as the beneficial effects of yoga.
Studies show that even low or moderate
levels of stress can interfere with the
performance. Inability to concentrate stress
results in cognitive reactions. Yoga is a
way of life, balance, health, harmony, and
is characterized by ecstasy. Meditation, the
seventh limb of Ashtanga Yoga warning
leisure is a state that is part of yoga, as is
being said by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
The practice of yoga, a person favorable or
unfavorable reaction to external events as
well as the person in control, and where
the mental fortitude reactions are moderate
in intensity, the situation is supposed to
reach.
Asana (ie, posture), pranayama (ie ,
breathing exercises aimed at influencing
the vital forces), kriyas (cleansing
processes) , Mudra (ie, fixed interval
approach) , and bandhans (ie,
neuromuscular locks) as Hatha Yoga
practices , are mostly taught as physical
practices . The changes are aimed at
developing the individual (Bhole MV
1977).
International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences
Volume: 3, Issue: 1; Jan- June 2014
51
Practice of Savasana and other Yoga
practices (meditation, asana and
pranayama) in six months, well- being,
reduction in body weight, endocrinal
functions vital capacity, increased
acceleration , and brings a sense of
improving memory . (Singh RH, Udupa
KN) studied the three -month headache ,
insomnia , and anxiety was the problem of
the 86 patients showing improvement
(Datey KK). Yoga has the potential to
affect stress disorder and suffer physical
and metabolic stability that helps to get to
know (Udupa KB, Singh RH, Dwivedi
KN). Sahasi et al . demonstrated the
effectiveness of yoga techniques in the
management of anxiety and increased
attention / concentration is reported .
Meditation, asana, pranayama through its
own technology to manage stress in
adolescents yields a positive effect. A
study of yogasanas and care for a 4 week
program to reduce students' aggressive
behavior that is found. In another study
note ( a ) maladaptive behaviors associated
with fewer problems , ( b) , have reported
increased emotional and physical health
and psychological well- being , ( c )
thought to reduce substance abuse the
frequency , ( d) low, and ( e ) generally
improved quality of life (Dua J. 1998).
Bakshi, A. Kumari, A. (2009) observed
the effect of Practicing Yoga among
Adolescents and found a significant
change on the level of Subjective Well
Being and Academic Performance.
Jadhav, S.G. Havalappanavar, N.B.
(2009) also find a significant change as the
effect of Yoga Intervention on Anxiety
and Subjective well-being level.
Venkataramana, H.L. Poomalil, S.N.
Shobhasree, T. (2008) having the similar
observation during their study and they
find a significant effect of Yoga on
Academic Stress of High School Students.
With this background the present study
examines whether there is an effect of
yoga on the academic anxiety level of
college going students.
Methodology:
The study was at a inter college of a
developing town of Uttrakhanda.
Academic Anxiety Scale For Children (
AASC ), developed by Dr. A.K. Singh
was administered on 30 students of Class
11. The participants were 15 boys and 15
girls, with ages ranging from 15 to 17
years. AASC was administered to identify
the academic anxiety level of the students.
Each item is of statement type (closed), to
which students were to answer by ticking
their option prescribed on the answer
sheet. The students were assembled in a
hall and made to sit in rows. Booklets
containing statement items along with
answer sheets were distributed to each
student. Instructions were delivered by the
investigator. Statements were written in
Hindi. Meaning of difficult words was also
explained. The students were told to finish
their test within an hour.
A code was provided to the students at the
time of pretest to keep their personal
identity closed. Their achievement scores
were exclusively used for the research
purpose and were not disclosed to their
educational institutions. The project was
approved by the Institutional Ethics
Committee, and the signed informed
consent was obtained from the college
principal.
Yoga module was used as an intervention
to the students for an hour daily in the
morning for 45 days. Academic Anxiety
Scale For Children ( AASC ) was used as a
pretest and posttest for the experiment to
assess the effect of yoga module on the
Academic anxiety of the subjects.
Intervention:
A yoga module [yogasana, pranayama &
meditation] was shared daily for an hour in
the morning with the subjects for 45 days.
Same academic performance test was
administered as a posttest.
International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences
Volume: 3, Issue: 1; Jan- June 2014
52
Table- 1: Yoga Module:
For 3 minute Gayatri mantra, Guru vandana (starting prayer).
For 15 minutes 3-5 rounds Surya Namaskar, and other simple asana
For 10 minutes Shavasana
For 5 minutes 5 rounds of Nadi shodhan pranayam.
For 15 minutes Jyoti Avtaran dhyan (Meditation).
For 2 minute Shantee Paath (ending prayaer).
Note: Break of half minute (30 seconds) was given between each practice, in order to allow them
to get themselves prepared mentally and physically for the next practices.
Table – 2: Result
Academic Anxiety M SD N df t- score
Pre test 12.8 3.14 30 29 5.11
Post test 10.2 2.92 30 29
r = 0.58, m1 ~ m2 = 2.6, SED = 0.508
* Significant at 0.01 level
Above is the students’ statistical analyses
was conducted to assess for differences
between pre and post test that might be
attributable to the yogic intervention.
Statistically significant differences were
found between pre and post test of academic
anxiety level of the students.
Discussion:
The findings of this study reveal that the
students who experienced yoga module
showed a significant reduction in their
academic anxiety level. The results are in
tune with the earlier studies, which found
that meditation, practiced over long periods,
produces definite changes in perception,
attention, and cognition. The value of t-
score is 5.11, which is significant at 0.01
level.
The institutions in the developed countries
offer various counseling and stress
management programs to students to cope
with the situations. Among many North
American medical schools, several have
established policies and programs to provide
treatment services and wellness programs
addressing students’ mental health issues.
(Roberts LW, et al 2001). For example,
following a short yoga intervention, students
reported improvements in perceived stress
and depressive symptoms (Simard AA et al
2009). A study conducted on college going
student shows a reduction in stress and
anxiety level as effect of Yogic relaxation
(Kumar Kamakhya 2008).
As a result, this study shows a positive
decrease in Academic anxiety level of
subjects after practicing for 45 days. It can
be concluded that inclusion of yogic
intervention in the academic anxiety level of
the college going student’ and ultimately
benefit all aspects of their academic careers.
If these suggestions are implemented, the
overall anxiety of the students can be
reduced, which helps them to be more
successful as students and a human being
harmonious to the nature.
International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences
Volume: 3, Issue: 1; Jan- June 2014
53
References:
1. Bakshi, A. Kumari, A. (2009) Effect of Practicing Yoga on Subjective Well Being and Academic
Performance Among Adolescents Indian Psychological Review 2009 Vol 72; Numb 4,
Page(S) 235-238
2. Jadhav, S.G. Havalappanavar, N.B. (2009) Effect of Yoga Intervention on Anxiety and
Subjective well-being Journal- Indian Academy Of Applied Psychology 2009 Vol 35; Numb
1, Page(S) 27-32
3. Venkataramana, H.L. Poomalil, S.N. Shobhasree, T. (2008) Effect of Yoga on Academic Stress
of High School Students Social Science International 2008 Vol 24; Numb 1, Page(S) 89-97
4. Bhole MV (1977). Psycho – Physiological importance of some yoga practices Paper presented at
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1977.
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8. Sahasi G, Mohan D, Kacker C. Effectiveness of yogic techniques in the management of
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