Mood changes in the course of preparation for the Brazilian university admission exam - a longitudinal study

Abstract

Academic examinations are an important source of stress for students. This study is intended to assess senior high school students' mood changes during the preparation for a very important academic examination, the Brazilian university admission examination. Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Expanded Form was used to assess the students three times in the course of the months preceding the examination. ANOVA for repeated measures showed that Negative Affect increased as the examination approached, and that this increment was already present months before the examination took place. A single conditionally independent random effect model showed that time spent studying was associated with fluctuations in mood. Teenagers, in preparation for a very important examination, may present mood disturbances associated with both the proximity of the examination and their study load months before the examination actually takes place. Other stressing factors may play a role in these findings and should be further investigated.