Investigating the Effect of a Group Psychoeducation Program on Test Anxiety: Implementation of the Balance Model within the Context of Positive Psychotherapy

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a Test Anxiety Group Psychoeducation Program based on the Balance Model within the context of Positive Psychotherapy on the test anxiety scores of high school students experiencing test anxiety. The experimental group consisted of 14 students, 8 females and 6 males, attending the 11th grade in a state high school in Ankara/Türkiye, who were identified by the school guidance service as experiencing test anxiety. The students in the psychoeducation group were assigned using the purposive sampling method, a non-random sampling technique and a subset of purposeful sampling. The Test Anxiety Group Psychoeducation Program was based on the Balance Model within the context of Positive Psychotherapy and consisted of 6 sessions lasting 90 minutes each, utilizing methods mainly from positive psychotherapy, drama techniques, and stories. A Test Anxiety Inventory comprising 20 items was administered to the participants. The subscale scores of Emotionality and Worry, as well as Overall Anxiety Score were utilized. A single-group, pre-test post-test experimental design was used in the research. The outcomes showed that after participating in the Test Anxiety Group Psychoeducation Program, the experimental group’s test anxiety scores significantly decreased.