. 2021 May 5;13(5):1551. doi: 10.3390/nu13051551

Table 2.

Effect of the intervention with BFLAB or placebo beverage on the severity of academic stress-related symptoms, as determined using the SISCO questionnaire ⁽¹⁾.

VARIABLES	CTL Group ⁽²⁾			EXP Group ⁽²⁾				Comparison between Groups ⁽³⁾
Stressors from Environmental Demands	Before ( $\bar{x}$ )	After ( $\bar{x}$ )	p	Before ( $\bar{x}$ )	After ( $\bar{x}$ )	p	Before ( $\bar{x}$ )	p	After ( $\bar{x}$ )	p
Competition with group mates	2.44 ± 0.86	1.67 ± 0.91	0.018 **	2.89 ± 0.80	1.00 ± 1.11	0.001 **	CTL 2.44 ± 0.20 EXP 2.89 ± 0.15	0.089	CTL 1.67 ± 0.21 EXP 1.00 ± 0.21	0.033 *
Home and schoolwork overload	3.67 ± 0.84	2.78 ± 1.35	0.013 **	4.00 ± 0.62	1.41 ± 1.60	0.001 **	CTL 3.67 ± 0.19 EXP 4.00 ± 0.11	0.160	CTL 2.78 ± 0.31 EXP 1.41 ± 0.30	0.004 **
The teacher’s personality and character	2.28 ± 0.83	2.83 ± 1.34	0.078	2.89 ± 0.93	1.70 ± 1.79	0.003 **	CTL 2.28 ± 0.19 EXP 2.89 ± 0.18	0.026 *	CTL 2.83 ± 0.31 EXP 1.79 ± 0.34	0.02 *
Evaluations (exams, essays, research papers, etc.)	3.56 ± 1.10	2.89 ± 1.64	0.175	4.11 ± 0.70	1.30 ± 1.54	0.001 **	CTL 3.56 ± 0.25 EXP 4.11 ± 0.13	0.068	CTL 2.89 ± 0.38 EXP 1.30 ± 0.29	0.002 **
The type of work required by the teachers (consultation of topics, worksheets, essays, concept maps, etc.)	3.06 ± 0.87	2.50 ± 1.29	0.172	3.37 ± 0.84	1.56 ± 1.80	0.001 **	CTL 3.06 ± 0.20 EXP 3.37 ± 0.16	0.237	CTL 2.50 ± 0.30 EXP 1.56 ± 0.34	0.047 *
Not understanding the topics discussed in class.	2.89 ± 1.08	2.50 ± 1.10	0.321	3.44 ± 1.01	1.44 ± 1.60	0.001 **	CTL 2.89 ± 0.25 EXP 3.44 ± 0.19	0.092	CTL 2.50 ± 0.25 EXP 1.44 ± 0.30	0.012 *
Class participation (answering questions, presentations, etc.)	2.39 ± 1.33	2.17 ± 1.42	0.655	3.11 ± 1.05	1.30 ± 1.46	0.001 **	CTL 2.39 ± 0.31 EXP 3.11 ± 0.20	0.063	CTL 2.17 ± 0.33 EXP 1.30 ± 0.28	0.054
Limited time to complete tasks	3.00 ± 1.08	2.61 ± 1.46	0.401	3.85 ± 0.95	1.37 ± 1.71	0.001 **	CTL 3.00 ± 0.25 EXP 3.85 ± 0.18	0.011 *	CTL 2.61 ± 0.34 EXP 1.37 ± 0.33	0.013 *
Physical reactions
Sleep disorder (insomnia or nightmares)	2.06 ± 0.80	1.61 ± 0.98	0.119	2.81 ± 1.11	0.85 ± 1.06	0.001 **	CTL 2.06 ± 0.18 EXP 2.81 ± 0.21	0.011 *	CTL 1.61 ± 0.23 EXP 0.85 ± 0.20	0.018 *
Chronic fatigue (permanent tiredness)	2.00 ± 0.97	1.61 ± 1.09	0.202	2.89 ± 1.15	1.19 ± 1.39	0.001 **	CTL 2.00 ± 0.22 EXP 2.89 ± 0.22	0.008 *	CTL 1.61 ± 0.25 EXP 1.19 ± 0.26	0.257
Headaches or migraines	2.11 ± 1.08	1.94 ± 1.16	0.681	3.00 ± 1.24	1.41 ± 1.55	0.002 **	CTL 2.11 ± 0.25 EXP 3.00 ± 0.23	0.015 *	CTL 1.94 ± 0.27 EXP 1.41 ± 0.29	0.192
Digestive problems, abdominal pain, and diarrhea	1.78 ± 1.06	1.44 ± 0.92	0.302	3.19 ± 1.21	0.67 ± 0.73	0.001 **	CTL 1.78 ± 0.25 EXP 3.19 ± 0.23	0.001 *	CTL 1.44 ± 0.21 EXP 0.67 ± 0.14	0.005 **
Scratching, nail biting, rubbing, etc.	2.39 ± 1.24	1.28 ± 0.89	0.014 **	3.52 ± 1.37	0.67 ± 0.73	0.001 **	CTL 2.39 ± 0.29 EXP 3.52 ± 0.26	0.007 *	CTL 1.28 ± 0.21 EXP 0.67 ± 0.14	0.022 *
Drowsiness or increased need for sleep	2.67 ± 0.91	2.11 ± 1.18	0.096	3.33 ± 1.00	1.22 ± 1.40	0.001 **	CTL 2.67 ± 0.21 EXP 3.33 ± 0.19	0.026	CTL 2.11 ± 0.27 EXP 1.22 ± 0.26	0.027 *
Psychological reactions
Restlessness, inability to relax and be calm	2.56 ± 1.20	1.78 ± 1.17	0.059	3.00 ± 0.88	0.81 ± 0.92	0.001 **	CTL 2.56 ±.28 EXP 3.00 ± 0.16	0.187	CTL 1.78 ±.27 EXP 0.81 ± 0.17	0.013 *
Feelings of depression and sadness	2.00 ± 0.97	1.61 ± 1.09	0.218	2.52 ± 0.75	0.85 ± 1.06	0.001 **	CTL 2.00 ± 0.22 EXP 2.52 ± 0.14	0.065	CTL 1.61 ± 0.25 EXP 0.85 ± 0.20	0.006 **
Anxiety, anguish, despair	2.11 ± 0.90	1.33 ± 0.69	0.001 **	3.26 ± 0.94	0.96 ± 1.09	0.001 **	CTL 2.11 ± 0.21 EXP 3.26 ± 0.18	0.001	CTL 1.33 ± 0.16 EXP 0.96 ± 0.21	0.027 *
Lack of concentration	2.67 ± 1.08	2.50 ± 1.47	0.712	3.33 ± 0.88	1.33 ± 1.54	0.001 **	CTL 2.67 ± 0.25 EXP 3.33 ± 0.16	0.037	CTL 2.50 ± 0.34 EXP 1.33 ± 0.29	0.169
Feelings of aggression or increased irritability	2.11 ± 1.23	2.17 ± 1.20	0.871	2.56 ± 1.01	1.30 ± 1.46	0.002 **	CTL 2.11 ± 0.29 EXP 2.56 ± 0.19	0.213	CTL 2.17 ± 0.28 EXP 1.30 ± 0.28	0.035 *
Behavioral reactions
Conflicts or tendencies to argue or discuss	1.83 ± 0.79	1.94 ± 1.16	0.717	2.52 ± 0.98	1.26 ± 1.43	0.001 **	CTL 1.83 ± 0.18 EXP 2.52 ± 0.18	0.013 *	CTL 1.94 ± 0.27 EXP 1.26 ± 0.27	0.085
Isolation from others	1.78 ± 1.17	2.17 ± 1.47	0.310	2.26 ± 1.02	1.33 ± 1.52	0.019 *	CTL 1.78 ± 0.27 EXP 2.26 ± 0.19	0.164	CTL 2.17 ± 0.34 EXP 1.33 ± 0.29	0.073
Reluctance to complete schoolwork	2.11 ± 0.90	2.50 ± 1.38	0.233	2.44 ± 0.75	1.41 ± 1.50	0.006 **	CTL 2.11 ± 0.21 EXP 2.44 ± 0.14	0.203	CTL 2.50 ± 0.32 EXP 1.41 ± 0.28	0.016 *
Increase or decrease in food consumption	2.67 ± 1.19	1.94 ± 1.35	0.126	3.30 ± 0.91	1.30 ± 1.35	0.001 **	CTL 2.67 ± 0.28 EXP 3.30 ± 0.17	0.066	CTL 1.94 ± 0.31 EXP 1.30 ± 0.26	0.123
Coping reactions
Assertiveness (defending preferences, ideas or feelings without harming others)	3.61 ± 0.70	3.17 ± 1.38	0.238	3.85 ± 0.72	1.85 ± 1.99	0.001 **	CTL 3.61 ± 0.16 EXP 3.85 ± 0.13	0.27	CTL 3.17 ± 0.32 EXP 1.85 ± 0.38	0.012 *
Planning and carrying out tasks	3.28 ± 0.75	2.72 ± 1.36	0.135	3.37 ± 0.79	1.59 ± 1.65	0.001 **	CTL 3.28 ± 0.17 EXP 3.37 ± 0.15	0.694	CTL 2.72 ± 0.32 EXP 1.59 ± 0.31	0.016 *
Self-flattery	3.28 ± 1.07	2.50 ± 1.47	0.110	2.89 ± 1.01	1.11 ± 1.25	0.001 **	CTL 3.28 ± 0.25 EXP 2.89 ± 0.19	0.232	CTL 2.50 ± 0.34 EXP 1.11 ± 0.24	0.002 **
Religiousness (prayers or attendance at mass)	2.22 ± 1.06	2.00 ± 1.33	0.631	2.56 ± 1.19	1.33 ± 1.47	0.422	CTL 2.22 ± 0.25 EXP 2.56 ± 0.22	0.331	CTL 2.00 ± 0.31 EXP 1.33 ± 0.28	0.122
Search for information about the situation	2.61 ± 1.09	2.56 ± 1.38	0.889	3.56 ± 0.97	1.33 ± 1.57	0.001 **	CTL 2.61 ± 0.25 EXP 3.56 ± 0.18	0.006 *	CTL 2.56 ± 0.32 EXP 1.33 ± 0.30	0.009 *
Expression and confidence (talking about the situation of concern)	2.61 ± 1.04	2.67 ± 1.19	0.893	3.30 ± 1.20	1.37 ± 1.50	0.001 **	CTL 2.61 ± 0.24 EXP 3.30 ± 0.23	0.048 *	CTL 2.67 ± 0.28 EXP 1.37 ± 0.28	0.002 *

⁽¹⁾ A Likert-type scale from 1 to 5 was used, where 1 indicated mild to no symptoms and 5 indicated severe symptoms. ⁽²⁾ The Student’s t-test for paired samples was used. ⁽³⁾ The Student’s t-test for independent samples was used. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.