%0 Journal Article
%T A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ON THE EFFICACY OF MEDHYA RASAYANA TABLET ON ACADEMIC STRESS AND PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOL CHILDREN
%A Reena Kulkarni
%A Abhimanyu Kumar
%J Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine
%D 2013
%I Atreya Ayurveda Publications
%X Background: School children and academics are not exempted from stress. In Indian context, especially for high school children, the demands to be placed high, parental pressures, the future career option and time bound targets along with inherent biological variations of adolescence create paramount stress. Such stress can be detrimental if not well managed. Despite of loss of lives consequent upon stress and poor performance, academic stress is less researched. Psychotherapy is the current gold standard. Hence this trial aims to evolve the risk factors, common manifestations and adaptations with the academic stress, remedial measures with herbal medicine. Objectives:  Evaluation of efficacy and safety of oral administration of Medhya Rasayana (MR) on manifestations of academic stress and to improve the academic performance.  Setting and design: Study was carried out in Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Ayurveda and Hospital (SDMCA&H), Hassan, Karnataka, South India, from December, 2010- December, 2012. Interventional, single blinded, randomized psychotherapy-placebo controlled efficacy trial. Materials and methods: 164 children of either sex, studying in tenth standard with normal intelligent quotient (IQ), average and above average stress as indicated from the scores on academic anxiety scale (AASC) and Sarason¡¯s Test anxiety scale (TASC), consciously willing to participate in the trial were randomized in to three groups (GP)¨Cmedhya (M) and medhya with psychotherapy (MP) and control ¨C Placebo with psychotherapy (PP) group. M-group received MR, MP-group with MR and psychotherapy while PP-group given placebo with psychotherapy over 3 months. Stress identified by test anxiety and academic anxiety scores, clinical manifestations and performances were evaluated before, after therapy and after exams. Children suffering from chronic systemic illnesses, developmental disorders, psychiatric illness, post traumatic stress disorder and not willing to participate in the trial were excluded. Results: On statistical analysis using paired and unpaired t test, cross tabs and repeated measures ANOVA, study reveals at par efficacy of trial drug with psychotherapy on clinical manifestations (P=0.000), reducing the stress (P=0.000) for both academic and test anxiety) and hence improving the performance (P=0.000). No adverse reactions documented. Conclusions: MR is effective in management of academic stress and improving academic performance in children.
%K Ayurveda
%K academic stress
%K academic performance
%K anxiolytic activity
%K Medhya Rasayana
%K Nootropics
%K psychotherapy
%K Satvavajaya
%U http://jahm.in/index.php/JAHM/article/view/42