helping students deal effectively with test anxiety

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Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety Darcy Barrick [email protected] Christelle Le Faucheur [email protected] Sanger Learning Center School of Undergraduate Studies, The University of Texas at Austin

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Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety. Darcy Barrick [email protected] Christelle Le Faucheur [email protected] Sanger Learning Center School of Undergraduate Studies, The University of Texas at Austin. Objectives For professionals to be able to . - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Darcy [email protected]

Christelle Le [email protected]

Sanger Learning CenterSchool of Undergraduate Studies, The University of

Texas at Austin

Page 2: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Objectives For professionals to be able to

Speak to the history of & trends in test anxiety research

Identify four parts of the suggested integrated approach to test anxiety

Suggest effective self-calming strategies to students experiencing test anxiety

Identify times when it would be important to refer test anxiety students to counseling/mental health services

Page 3: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

What is Anxiety?Physiological / psychological response to a perceived threat.

Physiological signsUpset stomachRestlessnessSleep problemsMuscle tensionHeadacheBack problems

Psychological signsConfusionMemory blanking Irritability Impaired concentrationPoor judgmentFrustration

Page 4: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

What is Test Anxiety?

Test anxiety is defined as perceived arousal, reported worry, self-denigrating thoughts, tension, and reports of somatic symptoms in exams or similar evaluative situations. Estimated to impact as many as 20-35% of students (Zeidner, 1998)

Seems to be on the increase as more emphasis is placed on test in the public school system and as tests increasingly determine admission to specific programs/schools. (Kadison & DiGeronimo,2004)

Page 5: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

What Test Anxiety Is NotA diagnostic category on its own

(although it can be one manifestation of other diagnoses such as anxiety disorders,

depression, attention disorders, or learning disorders that may legally entitle a student to classroom accommodations)An experience caused solely by insufficient

preparation(although preparation techniques are a key element inpositively impacting the anxiety experience)

Page 6: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

ResearchComes from a number of fields including

education, counseling, behavioral science, and various branches of psychology

Overlaps with research areas such asSelf-efficacyLearned helplessnessSelf regulationMotivationPerfectionismPersonality traits

Page 7: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Biological Constitution

Test Anxiety

Socialization and Early Childhood Experiences

Educational Environment

Unique Learning Experiences

Configuration of factors in test anxiety development, in Zeidner, 1998

Origins of Test Anxiety

Page 8: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Test Anxiety Research: MilestonesDrive-oriented and physiological stress/arousal

perspectives( Mandler and S. Sarason's 1952)

Liebert and Morris (1967) – constructs of emotionality (physiological arousal) and worry (concern about performance)

Page 9: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

More MilestonesCognitive-attentional (interference) model (Wine (1971)

worry, cognitive interference, and self-denigration

Skills deficits (Culler & Halahan 1980; Kirkland and Hollandsworth, 1980)

Self-regulation (Carver & Scheier, 1991)

Self-worth (Covington, 1992)Spielberger’s Transactional model and State-Trait Model

(Spielberger & Vagg,1995) Anxiety as a personality trait (A-Trait) and as a personality state (A-State)

Page 10: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

What It ImpactsAffect

Worry, depression, hopelessness Physical symptoms

Tension, elevated heart rate, nausea, sweating Behavior

Procrastination, avoidance, ineffective study and escapismCognition

Self-preoccupied thinking Impaired information processing

Input (Encoding and Acquisition)Storage and ProcessingRetrieval and Output

Page 11: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Test Anxiety and Information Processing

InputEncoding and Acquisition

TEST ANXIETY

Retrieval and

Output

Storage and Processing

IMPACT OF TEST ANXIETY AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF INFORMATION PROCESSING, ZEIDNER 1998

Page 12: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Academic Outcomes

60 years of research have demonstrated a clear negative association between test anxiety and academic performance.

Students don’t perform to their potential and scores misrepresents their level of knowledge and understanding

Academic persistence and achievement can be negatively impacted.

Page 13: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Test anxiety is a complex, multidimensional construct

Heterogeneous nature of test anxiety

Develops from multiple pathwaysYields different types of test-anxious

studentsDemands an integrated approach to

treatmentDamer and Melendres, 2011

Page 14: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

InterventionMeta-analysis of 56 empirical test anxiety intervention studies (Ergene, 2003)Most effective are combination of

Skill-focused strategies (study skills training, test-taking skills training)withCognitive approach

(rational emotive therapy, cognitive restructuring)and/orBehavioral approach (systematic desensitization, relaxation training, biofeedback, anxiety inductions)

Page 15: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety:

An Integrated Approach

History >Reframing >

Self-Calming >Study Effectiveness

Page 16: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Additional referral optionsat UT AustinCounseling and Mental Health CenterPrivate counseling appointmentsShort-term test anxiety groupStress management class (Optimizing Your Potential)Mindfulness meditation groupOn-line resources --

www.cmhc.utexas.edu/resources.htmlMind/Body Lab – guided relaxation recordings, massage chairs, biofeedback

Page 17: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Student History Duration – origin (elementary, secondary, college, etc.) Intensity -- from 1-10

Any complete blanking, how long does it last* Intense physical symptoms* such as fainting or vomiting? Stress level on non-test days*

Impact Experience of life – tired, stressed, etc. Outcomes – grades > ability to study > motivation for school

Other Anxiety in other areas of life* -- social, family, relationship, finances,

etc. Past diagnoses relevant to anxiety* .

Page 18: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Reframing1. What a test is

A thinking task

2. Primary job during a test To think… as clearly as possibly based on what I currently know Choosing a job within your control

Get it all right / Not make any mistakes Do better than other people Prove something to the professor Get into pharmacy school Make my parents happy Make my family proud Get an A

Page 19: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

3. Secondary job – to self-calm

Some anxiety improves performanceIf stress progresses to point that you

can’t think, your responsibility shifts to your secondary job, to self-calm.

Page 20: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Positively impacting the anxiety experience is always a combination of learning self-calming techniques AND improving the effectiveness of study techniques.

Page 21: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Emotions

Thoughts

Body

Self-Calming Techniques -- see packet

Page 22: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Study Effectiveness Techniques

-- see packetPlan weekly

Preview (for content and organization)Take in new information: Read<>Take lecture notes

Review notes (to find and fill gaps)Self-quiz

Take Test(s)Analyze results

Page 23: Helping Students Deal Effectively with Test Anxiety

Final ResourcesBibliography

Instruments for Assessing Test Anxiety

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As a result of this session, I will ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________