Effect of chewing gum on stress, anxiety, depression, self-focused attention, and academic success: A randomized controlled study

Abstract

Chewing gum is thought to increase focus via a reduction in stress and anxiety. Chewing gum contributes to success by improving short-term memory. This study was conducted to determine the effect of chewing gum on stress, anxiety, depression, self-focused attention, and exam success. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a total of 100 students. In the long-term (19 days) and short-term (7 days) chewing gum groups, the pretest scores of depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly higher than the posttest scores. Although the posttest scores on the self-focused attention subscale were higher than the pretest scores in long-term chewing gum group, there was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores in this group. The academic success mean scores of the long-term experimental group students were higher than those of the other groups. Students are recommended to chew gum before exams in order to overcome exam stress and to enhance exam success. However, chewing gum is not recommended in the long term for students who have difficulty focussing their attention.