By analyzing their own emotional state the participants had an opportunity to
realize that their anxiety in present situation is the result of negative experience in the
past. Every participant was asked to name their own anxiety area that developed on the
grounds of past life experiences. After that the participants had to switch the chairs in
the room and ‘abandon’ their experiences and themselves in those situations on those
chairs meaning to say goodbye to those experiences. After saying goodbye the
participants had to return to the circle to discuss their emotions and impressions. After
discussion the participants were again asked to imagine approaching a person in the
court house and introduce themselves. After several minutes of visualization, the
students had to evaluate their anxiety level. The following results were received: the
quantity of the participants with low level was 13,3 %, 76,7 % had medium level and
10,0 % participants had high anxiety level (Table 1).
Table 1 Experimental research results of visualization exercise effectiveness
level
Anxiety level
At the beginning of the exercise
(% research subjects)
At the end of the exercise
(% research subjects)
Low
13.3
13.3
Medium
36.7
76.7
High
50
10
р<0,01
According to the comparative analysis results (by Wilcoxon’s criterion, р≤0,01)
the statistically significant differences were received that indicate the decrease in
quantity of research subjects with the high anxiety level. Particularly, in the beginning
of the exercise 50 % of research participants had high anxiety level, and at the end only
10 % were feeling high anxiety and worried. The amount of participants feeling
medium anxiety level increased (36,7 % in the beginning and 76,7 % at the end of the
exercise). Medium anxiety level is within the normal range in new and unpredictable
situation for people; plus, we should take into account that future volunteers are young
students.
CONCLUSION
Psychological volunteer preparation for working in the court is the most important
stage of the project. Preparation results reveal that the future volunteer have social
fears, lack of confidence, previous negative experience with social interactions,
negative cognitive beliefs regarding themselves in interactions with others while trying
to help others which may pose an obstacle in attaining the end results of their volunteer
activity.
The pilot project on working with witnesses in the court will allow gaining an
experience working with people not only for students-volunteers but also for
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