Revealing the impact of teaching methods in anxiety among college students through a bibliometric study

Zhongzhu AiDongfeng YuanRuotong DongYun LiShanshan Zhou^*

• Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China

Objective: Anxiety has become increasingly prevalent among university students, significantly affecting their academic performance. Reform of teaching methods, as a potential strategy to alleviate anxiety, have garnered growing attention over the years. This study aims to systematically analyze and discuss the impact of reforms in teaching methods on college student anxiety.The Web of Science (WOS) database was used as the literature source to retrieve and collect relevant literature from 2004 to 2024. The major publication sources, countries, institutions and authors in this field were identified through the number of publications, citation frequency and H-index indicators. Data-driven analysis were performed for exploring collaboration pattern, knowledge structure, research hotspots and trends using VOSviewer software.: After screening, this study included 192 publications from January 2004 to November 2024, revealing some significant findings: (1) The number of publications has gradually increased, peaking in 2022 and maintaining a high level in the following years. (2) The most productive and influential journals are Nurse Education Today and CBE Life Sciences Education and The countries and institutions that contributed the most are the USA and the Indiana University System. (3) Collaboration network analysis indicates the presence of multiple research groups in the field, but their connections, both in countries and authors, remain relatively limited. (4) Co-citation analysis of journals shows that the field is interdisciplinary, primarily merging psychology, education, and information technology. (5) Keywords analysis identifies two major research hotpots in the field: factors influencing student anxiety in teaching environment (e.g., self-efficacy, loneliness, performance) and the moderating effects of teaching method reforms (e.g., blended learning, collaborative learning, experiential learning) on college students anxiety. Conclusion: This visualization analysis provides an overview of the directions and advancements in the research on the impact of reforms in teaching methods on college students' anxiety. It presents a comprehensive examination of the latest frontiers and trends, contributing theoretical support to both educational practices and mental health interventions.