Catching Calm: Peer-Based Cognitive Reappraisal and Social Influence in the Treatment of Undergraduate Academic Anxiety

Abstract

Anxiety is a pervasive challenge among undergraduate students, particularly during high-stress academic periods such as midterm examinations. This study examined the effects of two cognitive reappraisal techniques - Construal and Repurpose - on undergraduate anxiety levels. Additionally, the role of peer social influence in the transmission of emotion regulation strategies was investigated through the manipulation of the proportion of trained individuals within each group. Thirty-two Princeton University Undergraduates were assigned to reappraisal conditions (Construal or Repurpose) or a Control group, and further divided into High (3 trained) and Low (2 trained) proportion conditions based on the number of trained peers within each discussion group. Participants completed pre-, post-, and follow-up questionnaires assessing anxiety levels, predicted and observed grades, stress management ability, perceived grade importance, group connectedness, and discussion usefulness across three timepoints: before, immediately after, and two weeks following the group discussion session conducted over Zoom. Despite null ANOVA findings, descriptive trends indicated that Construal conditions demonstrated the most consistent reductions in anxiety across timepoints compared to Repurpose conditions. Findings suggest that intuitive, accessible reappraisal strategies, such as Construal may be more effectively transmitted through peer social influence and more beneficial in fostering group cohesion alongside emotion regulation adoption. Future research engaging with larger samples, longer follow-up periods, and more direct measures of social influence is needed to build on these preliminary findings.