Applicability of Neurometry in Assessing Anxiety Levels in Students

Author(s)

Meneses, Aline M. D. ; Amaral, Marcello M. ; dos Santos, Laurita ; Bastos-Filho, TF ; Caldeira, EMD ; Frizera-Neto, A

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: XXVII BRAZILIAN CONGRESS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, CBEB 2020; v. N/A, p. 5-pg., 2022-01-01.

Abstract

Therapeutic procedures capable of evaluating and positively intervening in the reduction of anxiety disorders is essential, and Functional Neurometry is a good option. In this method, neurophysiological signals emitted by the human body are captured to assess and train the behavior of the patient. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of Neurometry in the Assessment of Anxiety Levels in undergraduate students from the Psychology course of a private educational institution. Thirty students participated in this controlled and randomized clinical trial including 26 female and 4 male students. The experimental protocol involves the application of 4 instruments: sociodemographic and lifestyle questionnaire; Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI); salivary cortisol measurement; and Neurometry applied according to the sound anxiety protocol (SAP). The interventions were carried out in two different stages (time cuts): in the first assessment, all 4 instruments were applied for each student. They were done when the students were busy with semester evaluations, finishing internships, and making practice reports. At the second assessment, they were returning from vacation, and only the BAI and neurometry protocol were applied. In stage 1, only 4 students (13.4%) had salivary cortisol levels above the reference value. For BAI, 16 students (53.3%) showed severe anxiety. In terms of neurometry protocol, 13 students presented level 5 (anxiety control in the exhaustion phase or physical and psychological exhaustion to stress). In stage two, the severe anxiety index fell for 13 students (43.3%), while the index 5 (anxiety control in the exhaustion phase/physical and psychological exhaustion due to stress) appeared for 12 students (40%). The results obtained point to neurometry as an efficient instrument for measuring anxiety levels. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/21851-0 - Development of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and signal analysis methodologies for the evaluation of cutaneous angiogenesis
• Grantee: Marcello Magri Amaral
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/03517-8 - Association between heart rate variability and salivary cortisol for the evaluation of individuals under stress conditions by means of nonlinear analysis and artificial intelligence methods
• Grantee: Laurita dos Santos
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants