Clinical effect of auricular acupuncture in anxiety levels of students prior to the exams: A randomized controlled trial

Introduction: Students are exposed to various challenges that trigger anxiety in relation to their academic requirements. Some studies suggest that auricular acupuncture, may improve anxiety. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of Auricular Acupuncture (AA) on the anxiety-levels of university students. Methods: An experimental, prospective, randomized, controlled and single-blinded study was conducted. The sample included university students (N = 69), unfamiliar to acupuncture, under no psychotropic medication, with no known psychiatric or thyroid disorders. Individuals were randomly allocated to the Experimental Group (EG, n = 25): verum AA points; Placebo Group (PG, n = 22): sham AA points in neurological segments distinct from the verum AA and the Control group (CG, n = 22): without any AA treatment. One week prior to the examination period at the University, subjects were treated with AA using semi-permanent needles placed for 48 h. Anxiety assessments were conducted using the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Visual Analogue (VAS) for anxiety, and a scale on the neurovegetative status based on a scored analysis of the tongue according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SN-TCM) Results: 69 students (49 women; 20 men) participated in this study, 15,5% showing moderate to severe states of anxiety, and 12% some trace of anxiety. We found a significant reduction of the anxiety levels in the experimental group, according to STAI-form Y1 (p = 0,031), VAS (p = < 0.01) and SN-TCM (p = < 0.01). Conclusion: AA seems effective in reducing exam-related anxiety in university-level students, as corroborated by an SN-TCM and VAS for anxiety tests.