Treatment Of Test Anxiety Research Articles

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of a Brief Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training-Informed Intervention for Test Anxiety

ABSTRACT Data testing the effectiveness of third-wave interventions to decrease college students’ test anxiety is sparse. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with college students to examine whether an intervention using several DBT skills (DBT; Linehan, 2015a, 2015b) would decrease test anxiety. Participants (N = 48) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions, the brief DBT condition (n = 26) or the control condition (n = 22), a brain-training activity group. Participants in both conditions met for a single, two-hour session. After the intervention, participants completed an exam in their psychology course. Results indicated that individuals in the DBT intervention group had greater reductions in levels of test anxiety and state anxiety, and greater increases in mindfulness, than individuals in the control group. This study provides data supporting DBT skills training as a promising treatment for students with test anxiety.

The Application of Expressive Writing as an Intervention for Test Anxiety Illustrated with the Toronto Police Exams

The Application of Expressive Writing as an Intervention for Test Anxiety Illustrated with the Toronto Police Exams

Emotion dynamics of clients with test anxiety before and after an imagery-based treatment

Background and objectivesImagery-based techniques have become a promising means in the treatment of test anxiety (TA). Although previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of imagery-based treatment, not all clients seem to benefit from it. The present study compares clients' pre- as well as post-treatment emotion dynamics between responders and non-responders. Furthermore, it examines treatment-related changes in emotion dynamics in both subgroups. MethodsThe results are based on 44 clients suffering from TA who underwent a six-session imagery-based treatment and include Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Emotions were assessed with the Profile of Mood States four times a day over the course of two weeks before and after the treatment. Temporal networks were computed to index emotion dynamics. ResultsPre-treatment emotion dynamics differed between responders and non-responders. Similarly, post-treatment emotion dynamics differed as well between both groups. Some changes were also observed between pre-treatment and post-treatment networks: for responders, fatigue no longer predicted anger, and depression predicted itself; for non-responders, calmness predicted fatigue, anger, depression, contentment, and anxiety. In addition, fatigue no longer predicted itself and anxiety predicted vigor. LimitationsThe investigation is marked by several limitations: a liberal inclusion threshold of at least a 50% response to EMA prompts, and a relatively homogenous sample. ConclusionThese results provide first evidence for the idea that emotion dynamics may be associated with response to treatment for TA. Furthermore, effective imagery-based treatments may be tied to changes within these dynamics.

The Efficacy Of A Compassion, Acceptance And Mindfulness-based Pilot Intervention For Adolescents’ Test Anxiety: A Case Study Using The Academic Program

Test anxiety (TA) is one of the most common difficulties for secondary school students, with a negative impact in performance, mental health and well-being, and involving high levels of shame, self-criticism, and experiential avoidance. TA may also be conceptualized through an evolutionary and contextual approach to human suffering. To the best of our knowledge, no study has covered this conceptualization, nor has any previous TA treatment been simultaneously manualized, psychotherapeutic, and co-integrated compassion, acceptance and mindfulness-based practices. Moreover, studies on the efficacy of individual treatments directed to TA in adolescents are scarce, and case studies provide a comprehensive, detailed, and useful input about new models and treatments to both researchers and practitioners. The AcAdeMiC Program (Acting with Acceptance, Mindfulness and Compassion to overcome Test/Exam Anxiety) is a manualized 12-session online individual psychotherapeutic intervention, aiming to decrease test anxiety and boost well-being, compassion, acceptance and mindfulness. This is the first study presenting the treatment of an adolescent with high levels of test anxiety using this program. The Reliable Change Index (RCI) showed improvement, and maintenance or increase of gains over time, across all targeted symptoms and processes. The AcAdeMiC was also qualitatively and quantitatively perceived as useful and effective at posttreatment. This clinical case study provides a first glance at the conceptualization and treatment of TA with the new AcAdeMiC program.

Eye Movement Desentization and Reproccessing (EMDR) For Exam Anxiety : A Case Report

Exam anxiety causes poor academic performance and psychological problems for students. Those who have test anxiety; When they will take the exam, they encounter undesirable situations due to tension, anxiety and overstimulation of the central nervous system. Repetitive and self-critical thoughts that cause anxiety, physiological arousal, and marked emotional problems are associated with test anxiety. Negative experiences related to the exam before can also cause exam anxiety. It is known that various psychotherapy methods are useful for the treatment of test anxiety. There are few publications reporting that the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) method has been tried in the treatment of test anxiety. In this study, brief information about the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) method is given, and a 17-year-old case with intense test anxiety and a decrease in anxiety level as a result of the EMDR study is presented. In the counselee, who had intense anxiety and fear about the university exam, it was evaluated that this anxiety was related to the experience he had in the high school exam, and after the EMDR treatment, the counselee settled in a 4-year department of a well-established state university in Istanbul, which he targeted after the university selection and placement exam. Based on the case presented in this study, it can be said that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) method can be used as an effective treatment technique in exam anxiety caused by trauma.

‘I'm going to feel stressed, but now I know how to handle it’: reducing test anxiety and improving student well‐being at GCSE

Test anxiety has become a widespread issue in many contemporary societies, having a significant detrimental effect on the attainment, health and well‐being of many young people. This paper evaluates a school‐based, multimodal test anxiety intervention framework, ‘Every Little Helps’ (ELH), developed by educational psychologists and delivered to small groups of GCSE students (aged 15–16) in two secondary schools in the North West of England. A quasi‐experimental, mixed methods approach was adopted. Findings suggest that ELH is helpful in reducing test anxiety amongst GCSE students. Participants report a range of helpful outcomes including an increased sense of control and competence through increased academic attainment, enhanced control of emotions and more helpful ways of thinking. Participants also report beneficial wider impacts as a result of being able to generalise learnt skills and techniques to other aspects of their lives. Implications for educational policy and practice and future research are considered.

Examination anxiety: a school-based intervention

ABSTRACT The general issue of children’s mental health has become a growing concern in the UK in recent decades. There has been a specific concern about the increased stringency and pressure of formal educational assessments with some students reported as, experiencing high levels of test anxiety. This paper investigated a school-based test anxiety intervention Beating Exam Anxiety Together (BEAT) developed by educational psychologists from Kent EPS and delivered to two secondary (high) schools in the North-West of England for students aged 15–16 years. No comparison group was used, instead single participant cases were observed at two points: one before the delivery of BEAT and another after the intervention. A mixed methods approach was employed to provide a rich account on how the intervention was delivered. Quantitative data from the experimental study, using the Revised Test Anxiety Scale (RTA), show that 13 out of 14 participants reported a reduction in test anxiety post intervention. Qualitative data strongly support the quantitative findings, highlighting that participants feel better equipped to manage their test anxiety levels and feel better prepared to cope in an exam situation. Implications for pastoral staff supporting in schools, and future research, are considered.

The feasibility and effectiveness of compassionate mind training as a test anxiety intervention for adolescents: A preliminary investigation

AbstractTest anxiety can have a deleterious impact on academic achievement and adversely affect adolescent well‐being, both concurrently and in later life. The current study explored the use of compassionate mind training (CMT) as a school‐based intervention for test anxiety among adolescents. Participants were 47 adolescents, aged 16–17 years, attending a post‐primary school in the UK and enrolled to take qualifications beyond compulsory education. Participants were quasi‐randomly allocated on the basis of timetable availability into an intervention group that received eight sessions of CMT (n = 22) or a control group (n = 25). Participants in both groups completed pre‐ and post‐intervention measures of test anxiety, general anxiety and self‐compassion. Attendance and retention rates were used as an index of intervention feasibility. The findings indicated that CMT was a feasible and effective intervention. Adolescents receiving CMT showed significant reductions in test anxiety and general anxiety, as well as a significant improvement in self‐compassion following the intervention compared with the control group. The findings highlight the potential value of CMT in supporting young people suffering from test anxiety in schools. The implications for counselling practice are discussed.

Comparing online cognitive behavioural therapy versus online positive psychotherapy, well-being theory (PERMA)on test anxiety of online learning students: A randomised control study.

This study aims to compare the efficacy of test anxiety interventions using internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and internet-based positive psychotherapy (PERMA model). Changes in test anxiety responses were evaluated in 48 online postgraduate students who met diagnostic criteria based on DSM-5 and were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (n=16), internet-based positive psychotherapy (n=16) and a control group (n=16) over three phases: pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Assessments included a self-report questionnaire and a diagnostic interview. An 18-item self-report of the Online Test Anxiety Inventory(OTAI) was used with a high internal consistency (α=0.91) to assess test anxiety of online learning students. The OTAI consists of three factors: online, psychological, and physiological. The analysis of test anxiety by repeated measure ANOVA revealed a significant decrease of anxiety in both treatment groups while no significant change was observed in the control group. The study supports using internet-based psychological interventions for the treatment of test anxiety, which is particularly significant during the COVID-19 restricted teaching environment.

Cognitive–behavioral intervention for test anxiety in adolescent students: do benefits extend to school-related wellbeing and clinical anxiety

ABSTRACT Background and objectives: Cognitive–behavioral interventions have been shown to be effective treatments for test anxiety. Studies on school-aged populations, however, are lacking. Design and methods: In the present study we evaluated a six-session cognitive–behavioral intervention for test anxiety in a sample of secondary school students aged 14–16 years preparing for high-stakes examinations. Furthermore, we extended outcomes to include school-related wellbeing and clinical anxiety. A screening procedure was used to identify highly test anxious persons who were randomly allocated to intervention or wait-list control groups. Results: Test anxiety showed a large reduction following intervention compared to control group participants who showed a moderate reduction. Clinical anxiety showed a small to moderate reduction following intervention compared to control group participants who showed a negligible reduction. The reduction in clinical anxiety was mediated by concurrent reductions in test anxiety. Conclusion: This supports an integrative network approach that deactivating core aspects of anxiety can deactivate associated networks of anxiety symptoms. The intervention showed no impact on school-related wellbeing which increased at a similar rate for both intervention and control group participants. This is likely because test anxiety is just one contributor of many to school-related wellbeing. Implications for school-based treatments are discussed.

Beyond BCI—Validating a wireless, consumer-grade EEG headset against a medical-grade system for evaluating EEG effects of a test anxiety intervention in school

Educational neuroscience is an emerging interdisciplinary field. However, the use of neuroimaging techniques and tools such as electroencephalography (EEG) in school-based interventions and research is limited, largely due to the high costs and physical constraints of conventional research- or medical-grade equipment. Neuroimaging and electrophysiological data can provide useful evidence to validate the efficacy of interventions. The present study explores the utility of lightweight, affordable, and easy-to-set-up EEG systems for use in school-based research with children. Specifically, we examine the effects of a deep-breathing-for-test-anxiety intervention on brain electrical activity during a flanker distractor interference task in eleven-year olds, comparing the pattern of results observed using a consumer-grade EEG system (Emotiv EPOC+) against that obtained using a medical-grade EEG system (Neurostyle). Behavioral, EEG, and respiratory data was obtained from Primary 5 students (N = 45; Mage = 10.88, SD = 0.33), split into Emotiv and Neurostyle groups. The aim of the study was two-fold: to examine the effects of deep breathing on neurophysiological and behavioral correlates of inhibitory control of attention in children, and to understand the affordances and limitations of the Emotiv EPOC+ system for school-based research with children. Results from power spectral analyses suggest that deep breathing may enhance attentional control on a neural level by modulating brain electrical activity on several frequencies. Despite limitations, the consumer-grade EEG system appears to be capable of detecting some degree of power spectral differences associated with intervention effects.

An international systematic literature review of test anxiety interventions 2011–2018

ABSTRACT Across different countries, age ranges, and assessment regimes, a high level of test anxiety has been identified as posing a risk to student academic achievement and wellbeing. The present study provides a rigorous systematic review of the international evidence on test anxiety interventions in the period 2011–2018. The present review identifies eleven studies as meeting the inclusion criteria, showing a wide range of school-based test anxiety interventions, from different countries, with varying degrees of psychological underpinnings, duration and outcomes. The general pattern of findings suggests that there continues to be the lack of collaboration with the school site to promote test anxiety interventions at school level in ways that are purposeful, practical, stigma-free and with the view of upskilling staff. The review provides valuable evidence for parents and professionals such as school psychologists and counsellors to intervene to reduce the effects of test anxiety and optimise the experience of educational assessment. Future research should explore innovative ways to continue to promote effective test anxiety interventions in collaboration with school and stakeholders.

Design of a guided internet-delivered counseling intervention for test anxiety

Test anxiety is a widespread challenge among university students. Online treatment facilitates a wider distribution and easier access to treatment. In a naturalistic study, a guided internet-delivered counseling program for test anxiety in university students was created and reviewed. Students suffering from self-reported test anxiety were recruited at a university counseling center (n = 40). Test anxiety and psychological distress were measured pre and post treatment. The test anxiety online treatment was administered in six modules over a period of 6 weeks. Therapist contact via written message in the online platform was included once a week. There were two personal contacts before and after treatment. A paired t-test showed a significant reduction of test anxiety (n = 32, p < .01). There was as well a significant reduction of general psychological distress and general anxiety (n = 31, p < .05). Participants were largely satisfied with the helpfulness and composition of the program. Thus, a guided internet-delivered treatment program is an effective treatment for reducing test anxiety in university students.

Can Test Anxiety Interventions Alleviate a Gender Gap in an Undergraduate STEM Course?

Gender gaps in exam scores or final grades are common in introductory college science and engineering classrooms, with women underperforming relative to men with the same admission test scores or college grade point averages. After failing to close a historically documented gender gap in a large introductory biology course using interventions targeted at training a growth mindset, we implemented interventions designed to reduce student test anxiety. We combined evidence-based exercises based on expressive writing and on reappraising physiological arousal. We also used a valid measure to quantify test anxiety at the start and end of the course. This instrument measures an individual’s self-declared or perceived test anxiety—also called trait anxiety—but not the immediate or “state” anxiety experienced during an actual exam. Consistent with previous reports in the literature, we found that women in this population declared much higher test anxiety than men and that students who declared higher test anxiety had lower exam scores than students who declared lower test anxiety. Although the test anxiety interventions had no impact on the level of self-declared trait anxiety, they did significantly increase student exam performance. The treatment benefits occurred in both men and women. These data suggest that 1) a combination of interventions based on expressive writing and reappraising physiological arousal can be a relatively easy manner to boost exam performance in a large-enrollment science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) course and encourage emotion regulation; 2) women are more willing than men to declare that they are anxious about exams, but men and women may actually experience the same level of anxiety during the exam itself; and 3) women are underperforming in STEM courses for reasons other than gender-based differences in mindset or test anxiety.

Teacher acceptability of progressive muscle relaxation in the classroom for the treatment of test anxiety

AbstractTest anxiety is experienced by 10–40% of students. The physical symptoms associated with test anxiety may be more likely to be exhibited by elementary students. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) has been demonstrated to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety and could be used in the classroom, but teacher acceptability of PMR for test anxiety has not been assessed. This study used a vignette format to survey 404 first through fifth grade teachers on their acceptability of classroom-based PMR as an intervention for test anxiety. Good levels of acceptability were found for implementation with a school psychologist or counsellor, CD player, or digital music player. Special education teachers reported slightly lower levels of acceptability for using PMR in the digital music player scenario. With good levels of teacher acceptability of PMR to address test anxiety, school psychologists and counsellors may be more likely to recommend the use of PMR in classrooms. Implications for implementation of PMR to reduce test anxiety, study limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Reducing Test Anxiety in School Settings: A Controlled Pilot Study Examining a Group Format Delivery of the Attention Training Technique Among Adolescent Students

Researchers have called for the examination of test anxiety interventions that extend beyond the delivery of individual services by a trained professional. Following from conceptual models and research findings underscoring the importance of metacognitive beliefs to test anxiety, a controlled pilot study examined whether a group format delivery of the attention training technique (ATT) component of metacognitive therapy reduces test anxiety among eighth-grade students. Students completed baseline study measures and were allocated based upon class period to five sessions of ATT (n = 39) or a music listening control (n = 34) delivered within a group format during a school week. Students completed postintervention study measures on the final day of the intervention and completed follow-up study measures approximately 3 weeks following the intervention. As predicted, students receiving ATT reported less postintervention test anxiety than the control when they held stronger baseline metacognitive beliefs about worry. The patterns of findings held at the follow-up and when specifically examining the cognitive (i.e., worry) dimension of test anxiety. Study results suggest that ATT may be a viable test anxiety intervention for students holding heightened metacognitive beliefs about worry. Future directions are discussed.

Imagery-based treatment for test anxiety: A multiple-baseline open trial

Many students are affected by test anxiety (TA), which involves considerable distress and can lead to reduced performance. Despite its prevalence, TA has been under-studied; specifically, few effective and brief interventions have been identified to date. In our work, we explore the adaptation of imagery, an emotion-focused treatment technique used widely in the treatment of other anxiety disorders, for addressing TA. In a two-site concurrent multiple-baseline pilot study (n = 31), we examined the effectiveness of a targeted six-session protocol developed for the treatment of TA, which integrates traditional cognitive behavioral techniques with imagery work. The protocol was well-accepted by clients. We found that students' test anxiety levels did not drop between the recruitment and pre-intervention assessments, but did drop significantly from recruitment or baseline to the delayed follow-up (Cohen's d = 0.75 and 0.84, respectively). We also found evidence for session-level processes tying the quality of the imagery work with session efficacy. The study involved a relatively small sample size, leading to weaker power to detect treatment effects. Moreover, some clients did not have any exams scheduled before the delayed follow-up assessment. Due to the scheduling intensity of the sessions, some clients had insufficient time to implement or practice skills and to complete tasks discussed in the sessions. This study provides preliminary evidence for the utility of integrating imagery work with traditional cognitive-behavioral techniques for treating test anxiety.

Is reducing uncertain control the key to successful test anxiety intervention for secondary school students? Findings from a randomized control trial.

The aim of the study was to conduct a randomized control trial of a targeted, facilitated, test anxiety intervention for a group of adolescent students, and to examine the mediating role of uncertain control. Fifty-six participants (male = 19, white = 21, mean age = 14.7 years) were randomly allocated to an early intervention or wait-list control group. Participants completed the Revised Test Anxiety Scale and the Uncertain Control Scale from the Motivation and Engagement Scale at baseline, after the early intervention group had received the intervention, and again, after the wait-list control group had received the intervention. Participants showed moderate to large reductions in the worry and tension components of test anxiety, and uncertain control, after the intervention. The reduction in worry and tension was partially mediated by the reduction in uncertain control. Findings contribute to the evidence base for test anxiety interventions designed for school age populations and highlight uncertain control as an important factor in test anxiety intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record

An examination of the self-referent executive processing model of test anxiety: control, emotional regulation, self-handicapping, and examination performance

According to the self-referent executive processing (S-REF) model, test anxiety develops from interactions between three systems: executive self-regulation processes, self-beliefs, and maladaptive situational interactions. Studies have tended to examine one system at a time, often in conjunction with how test anxiety relates to achievement outcomes. The aim of this study was to enable a more thorough test of the S-REF model by examining one key construct from each of these systems simultaneously. These were control (a self-belief construct), emotional regulation through suppression and reappraisal (an executive process), and self-handicapping (a maladaptive situational interaction). Relations were examined from control, emotional regulation, and self-handicapping to cognitive test anxiety (worry), and subsequent examination performance on a high-stakes test. Data were collected from 273 participants in their final year of secondary education. A structural equation model showed that higher control was indirectly related to better examination performance through lower worry, higher reappraisal was indirectly related to worse examination performance through higher worry, and higher self-handicapping was related to worse examination performance through lower control and higher worry. These findings suggest that increasing control and reducing self-handicapping would be key foci for test anxiety interventions to incorporate.

Implementing an Expressive Writing Intervention for Test Anxiety in a Large College Course.

Test anxiety is a widespread problem that negatively impacts student performance. The mechanism proposed to explain the deleterious effect is that anxious thoughts occupy space in working memory, thus diminishing cognitive capacity. Expressive writing is an intervention shown to decrease the impact of test anxiety. For this intervention, students respond to a prompt directing them to write-down their thoughts and feelings regarding the upcoming exam. To investigate the feasibility of using this intervention in college courses and to discern our students’ thoughts about taking exams, we implemented the intervention in our large introductory biology course. The prompt was placed on the cover page of each exam and students were given five minutes to write. Students were then instructed to rip off, crumple up, and throw the page into the closest aisle and begin the exam. Even though they could not start the exam early, students only spent approximately two minutes writing. Clean up of papers was reasonably accomplished during the exam. Interestingly, crumpling and throwing papers seemed to dissipate tension and created a more relaxed atmosphere in the classroom evidenced by laughing and paper airplanes. We assigned the anonymous student writing into categories (e.g., doodling, pep talks, course content, anxious) as we were interested to see the variation in student responses and monitor if student feelings changed over time. We suggest instructors consider using this intervention to decrease the impact of test anxiety. We found the implementation logistics manageable and reading students’ thoughts made us more empathetic with our students’ experiences.