Abstract
Test anxiety has long been an issue with students, parents and in schools on a global level. Many students are becoming overwhelmed with the increased demands placed on test preparation and test performance. Accountability measures have become a major priority, with school children enduring standardized testing annually from grades three through eight, and once more in high school. This article will explore the many facets of test anxiety, what some schools are doing to try to reduce the anxiety and interventions counselors can use in their work with students.
 Keywords: Test anxiety; schools; children; anxiety
Highlights
Test anxiety has long been an issue with students, parents and in schools on a global level
Accountability measures have become a major priority with school children enduring standardised testing annually from grades 3–8, and once more in high school, as required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, NCLB of 2001, P.L. 107–110 C.F.R.)
Students from groups who are already at-risk for school difficulty have an increased likelihood of experiencing test anxiety
Summary
Test anxiety is a debilitating condition in which an individual becomes so overwhelmed by the pressure of the test resulting in intense physiological, emotional and psychological/cognitive symptoms. Psychologists acknowledge that test anxiety among school-age children is a prominent issue, estimates of exactly how many students are affected may vary. Most estimates fall in the range of 10%–40% of elementary and middle school students (Segool, Carlson, Goforth, von der Embse & Barterian, 2013; Von der Embse & Hasson, 2012). Educational policy of the last two decades has placed a strong emphasis on high-stakes test scores, causing schools to focus on testing and test preparation. With this increased focus on test performance, the prevalence of test anxiety has increased (Van der Embse & Hasson, 2012)
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