engleski

Symptoms of Anxiety among Blind Subjects

SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AMONG BLIND SUBJECTS Field of medicine: Psychiatry Đorđe Pojatić, Matija Fenrich, Dunja Degmecic Country: Croatia Faculty: Faculty Of Medicine Osijek Introduction: Blidness is often accompanied by psychiatric symptoms. It has been shown that blind people tend to put more trust in a just world when compared to the control group. For that reason, it is of crucial importance to investigate correlation between this phenomenon and sympotoms of blindness-related anxiety among such subjects. Aim: The aim of the survey was to determine the influence of general belief in a just world on sympotoms of anxiety among blind subjects in order to try to provide more adequate treatment for this particular patients. Materials and methodology: Anxiety levels were measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Attitudes towards justice were measured using the General Belief in a Just World Scale (GBJWS). Blind subjects were interviewed by the researcher, whereas the control group subjects did the test themselves. There wasn`t gender and number difference (N = 27, 15 women, 12 men) or age difference (min.=33, max.=65, mean=48, s.d.= ± 10.8) between the two groups. Results: The results revealed significantly higher GBJWS score among blind subjects (p< 0, 02). Although BAI generally showed no statistically significant difference, few values were significantly higher among blind subjects (fright or fear: p< 0, 013 ; jittery: p< 0, 001 ; tremor: p< 0, 013). Higher GBJWS score reduces anxiety (p< 0, 001). Conclusion: GBJWS score correlates inversely with anxiety level, i.e. stronger belief in a just world at least partially relieves anxiety symptoms among blind subjects.

blindness; anxiety; just world believes

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