AxBrain: How Auditory ASMR Triggers Affect Chinese Young Adults’ State Anxiety Level

The team believed that finding a way to relieve anxiety is increasingly important because of the severity of involution and the high anxiety levels among young people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ASMR may be a simple and appropriate way to help people relax. ASMR is a body perception phenomenon triggered by a variety of stimuli, among which auditory triggering is the most common one. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of ASMR in alleviating depression, which indicates the prospect of ASMR in alleviating negative emotions in humans. To demonstrate the effectiveness of ASMR in alleviating anxiety, the team will conduct a trial at Duke Kunshan University involving 200 participants who will receive ASMR auditory stimulation and complete a Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and a series of physiological tests including blood pressure, heartbeat, electrical skin response, etc. Results will be analyzed according to the duration of completion of the SAS test and participants’ anxiety level, as well as objective anxiety responses provided by the physiological tests. The experiment is expected to find that auditory ASMR can help young people relieve anxiety and identify the most effective types of ASMR triggers.