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<p>Attachment security priming has shown promise in reducing anxiety in controlled experiments, yet its application and effectiveness in real-world educational settings remain underexplored. This study investigated whether a brief, single-session attachment-based priming intervention could reduce anxiety levels in university students, while accounting for baseline anxiety and perceived stress. Seventy female students participated in a quasi-experimental design, with participants self-selecting into either an experimental or a control group. The intervention involved a guided recall exercise encouraging students to reflect on a personal memory of receiving support and acceptance from a peer or teacher, aiming to activate internal representations of attachment security. Anxiety was measured using the GAD-7 scale at three time points: one month before the intervention, two weeks after, and three months after. Baseline perceived stress was also measured using the PSS-4. ANCOVA analyses revealed that, controlling for baseline anxiety and stress, the experimental group reported significantly lower anxiety than the control group two weeks post-intervention (<i>p</i> = .031), with a medium effect size (d = − 0.622). Baseline anxiety was a consistent predictor of anxiety across timepoints, while baseline perceived stress predicted post-intervention anxiety but not long-term outcomes. By the three-month follow-up, the intervention effect had diminished, with no significant difference between groups (<i>p</i> = .631). Attachment priming may temporarily buffer students against stress-related anxiety during high-pressure periods such as exams. Although the effects were not sustained over time, the intervention's simplicity and low cost make it a promising tool for short-term mental health support in academic contexts.</p>

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Attachment based priming reduces anxiety during the exam period in female university students when adjusting for baseline perceived stress and anxiety

  • 期刊论文

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月23日

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  • Elena Lisá,
  • Katarína Kovalčíková

摘要

Attachment security priming has shown promise in reducing anxiety in controlled experiments, yet its application and effectiveness in real-world educational settings remain underexplored. This study investigated whether a brief, single-session attachment-based priming intervention could reduce anxiety levels in university students, while accounting for baseline anxiety and perceived stress. Seventy female students participated in a quasi-experimental design, with participants self-selecting into either an experimental or a control group. The intervention involved a guided recall exercise encouraging students to reflect on a personal memory of receiving support and acceptance from a peer or teacher, aiming to activate internal representations of attachment security. Anxiety was measured using the GAD-7 scale at three time points: one month before the intervention, two weeks after, and three months after. Baseline perceived stress was also measured using the PSS-4. ANCOVA analyses revealed that, controlling for baseline anxiety and stress, the experimental group reported significantly lower anxiety than the control group two weeks post-intervention (p = .031), with a medium effect size (d = − 0.622). Baseline anxiety was a consistent predictor of anxiety across timepoints, while baseline perceived stress predicted post-intervention anxiety but not long-term outcomes. By the three-month follow-up, the intervention effect had diminished, with no significant difference between groups (p = .631). Attachment priming may temporarily buffer students against stress-related anxiety during high-pressure periods such as exams. Although the effects were not sustained over time, the intervention's simplicity and low cost make it a promising tool for short-term mental health support in academic contexts.