Audiovisual material as educational innovation strategy to reduce anxiety response in students of human anatomy

This study presents the design, effect and utility of using audiovisual material containing real images of dissected human cadavers as an innovative educational strategy (IES) in the teaching of Human Anatomy. The goal is to familiarize students with the practice of dissection and to transmit the importance and necessity of this discipline, while modulating their anxiety. The study included 303 first-year Human Anatomy students, randomly assigned to two groups (Traditional and Educational Innovation). Their state of anxiety was measured using the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory. Repeated measures ANOVA with between-subject factors was applied. The between-subject factor was Educational Innovation (EI). Two levels were established for this factor. The within-subject factor was Time, four levels being considered here. The results show that the effects of the Educational Innovation factor, Time factor and EI × Time interaction were statistically significant. These results provide an additional element of efficacy to the use of videos as an IES. That is, the use of video material as an introduction into an anxiety-provoking situation which resembles real-life viewing and interaction with human cadavers for the first time significantly diminishes the anticipatory reaction of dread against which novel students have not had the opportunity to develop any cognitive strategy of emotional control.