A recent study from the University of Rochester has revealed that brief episodes of anxiety can significantly impair a person’s ability to learn and distinguish between safe and dangerous environments. Published in npj Science of Learning, the research utilized a virtual reality game in which participants were tasked with picking flowers while avoiding bees that could sting them, simulated through mild electrical stimulation.
Key Findings:
- Impact of Temporary Anxiety: The study involved 70 neurotypical participants aged 20 to 30. Those who successfully learned to differentiate between safe and dangerous areas showed improved spatial memory and lower anxiety levels. Conversely, participants who struggled with this distinction experienced heightened anxiety, even in safe environments.
- Learning and Anxiety Correlation: Surprisingly, the research indicated that temporary feelings of anxiety had a more substantial impact on learning than a person’s general predisposition to anxiety. This finding suggests that excessive anxiety can disrupt spatial learning and the ability to recognize threats.
- Implications for Anxiety Disorders: The findings may provide insights into why individuals with anxiety-related disorders, such as PTSD, often have difficulty distinguishing between safe and unsafe situations. The study’s senior author, Dr. Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, emphasizes the importance of understanding how anxiety affects learning and threat recognition, which could lead to improved treatment options for anxiety and stress-related disorders.
- Future Research Directions: The researchers plan to explore whether individuals with anxiety-related psychopathologies exhibit similar variations in spatial memory. They also aim to incorporate attention-tracking measures in future studies to assess the broader impact of anxiety on environmental awareness.
This research highlights the critical relationship between anxiety and learning processes, paving the way for potential advancements in therapeutic approaches for those struggling with anxiety disorders. For more information, you can read the full article here: Researchers Find Temporary Anxiety Impacts Learning.
Health and Wellness programs that may support your child’s emotional wellbeing and learning journey:
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Allied Health School Services Program – Parents workshop (90 mins)
In 2023, ISS and OST Therapy launched the Allied Health School Services Program. The AHSS team offers personalized workshops for parents, focusing on speech/language skills, cognitive play, behaviour management, and building resilience. These workshops provide practical strategies to help parents support their child’s development and create a positive home environment.
Caritas – Counselling Services
Caritas Human Empowerment & Achievement Training (HEAT) offers counseling for marital issues, extra-marital affairs, divorce, and marriage enrichment. Services include family mediation, sex therapy, support for family conflicts, and therapy for emotional, behavioural, and learning issues in children, as well as mood, stress, anxiety, and trauma.
Health & Wellbeing – Deck of cards
Dr. Christopher Willard’s mindfulness decks offer exercises for emotional well-being, including *Mindful Parenting*, *Self-Love*, and tools for teens to manage depression, anxiety, and build resilience. Each deck provides practical mindfulness strategies for emotional growth and mental health at every life stage.
Health & Wellbeing Videos
Unlock mindfulness and communication skills with expert-led courses. Topics include fostering positive family dialogue, boosting academic performance through mindfulness, and age-specific practices for preschoolers, primary students, and teens, promoting focus, emotional balance, and resilience.
iLiving: Initial 90-minute Consultation with Supported Healing for Children
iLiving is a holistic wellness centre that offers integrated services for personal transformation. They provide a comprehensive approach to address both physical and mental health, focusing on modalities like bioresonance, life coaching, family constellations, and more to help clients achieve optimal well-being. This consultation includes health scan of a child who is suffering from chronic physical or mental health challenge and coaching to their caretaker/parent(s).
KFBG Transformative and Mindfulness Forest Immersion Walk
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) delivers inspiring, awareness-shifting and transformative programmes with potential life-changing experiences. We offer an opportunity and a peaceful space in the natural environment of KFBG for participants to experience, to rethink, to identify and to be able to deeply connect and appreciate Gaia, our mother Earth, and the interconnection and interrelationship that we share with her. By being close to, and having a respect for nature, through our transformative workshops, people can experience a sense of deep happiness and spiritual contentment in which could facilitate a more holistic way of living.
Llegend – Diploma in Professional Aromatherapy
This aromatherapy course covers essential oils, anatomy, and therapeutic applications, combining theory and practice. Accredited by the IFA, it offers exemptions for the UK TQUK Level 4 Certificate. As Hong Kong’s leading college for aromatherapy, it boasts 7 international accreditations.
Therapy Services – 1 on 1 Offline Therapy Service
In 2023, ISS and OST Therapy launched the Allied Health School Services Program. Our certified speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists offer personalized therapy for speech, language, motor skills, emotional regulation, and self-care. We use evidence-based practices to support students’ academic and social growth, boosting confidence and promoting inclusive learning environments.
Wellbeing Books Series
Dr. Willard’s books blend mindfulness with practical approaches for families. Alphabreaths teaches kids mindfulness through ABC-themed breathing exercises, while Growing Up Mindful offers parents and educators tools to help children build resilience, self-awareness, and empathy through mindfulness.
