Kevin Quattrin, EdD
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Tips for Reducing Test/Performance Anxiety

The first tip for reducing test anxiety is understanding it.  According to Paul D. Noting, Ph.D.  (1991):

Anxiety can be broken down into two fields: test anxiety and mathematics anxiety.  When combined they can be deadly to a student’s G.P.A and self-esteem. 

What is anxiety?  Anxiety is stress, tension and strain brought onto one’s body and mind.  Anxiety can be broken down into two types:

Somatic – loss control of body, some symptoms are sweaty palms, pain in neck or sick to the stomach.

Cognitive- loss of concentration, some of the symptoms are negative self-talk, feelings of doubt, or mind wanders from test.  

Test Anxiety is a learned behavior that can be unlearned.  The following methods often create test anxiety:


  • Parents, friends or teachers may pass their bias to the student.
  • Student may believe there is a connection between grade and self-worth.
  • Fear of alienating parents, family or friends due to poor grades.
  • Anxiety may be due to not feeling that they are not in control.
Mathematics anxiety can be extreme; often caused by having a negative attitude due to a previous bad experience.  Studies show that one-half of all students in a developmental mathematics class suffer forms of this type of anxiety.  The good new is that a student can manage this behavior but they must learn to manage BOTH the stress as well as improve the basic mathematical skills.

STRATEGIES FOR BEFORE THE TEST:

Know that having some anxiety before a test is normal, and in some cases can be beneficial.  Low levels of anxiety can motivate you to study, to work harder, and to seek out help.  It is when the anxiety reaches a critical mass that it becomes debilitating.

Assess your knowledge or skills. Are you anxious because you haven't studied well?  Start with 10-minute intervals and allow a break.  Make a study schedule and stick to it.  Be sure to include a small reward here and there, even if it is just verbal.  Once beginning the study session, you may find you aren’t sure how to study or what to study.  This can lead to avoiding studying altogether.  In this case, the intervention is to seek more information about the test from notes, a classmate, or the teacher.  When this is not possible, the next best thing is to study anyway. Some information is better than none at all.

Avoid cramming.  The research is clear: distributed practice (a little at a time) is better than massed practice (all at once).

Avoid excessive reassurance that the test will be “fine” or is “not a big deal.” For a student who worries, it is a big deal and they don’t feel fine.  Acknowledge and normalize the worry, discourage avoidance, and access your coping skills.  For example, ask yourself how you have handled tests in the past and what worked well.

The process of habituation.  Habituation is the process by which we "get used to" anxiety.  Each time we are exposed to the anxiety provoking situation and we live through it, the next time is a little bit easier.

STRATEGIES DURING THE TEST

Use calming self-talk.  Know that “Your brain believes what you tell it.”  If you are telling yourself that you can’t remember anything, the intrusive thought can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Worry shuts down problem-solving in several ways.  Worrying strengthens the perception that one is incompetent (e.g. “I am going to draw a blank and forget everything I studied”) and can fuel catastrophic thinking (“If I don’t pass this test, I’m going to fail all of 10th grade and never get into a good college”).   Use some of the following self-talk statements:


  • I’m nervous, but I can handle it.
  • I’m having some trouble with some questions but I’m doing well on others
  • It’s okay to make a mistake because that’s how you learn
  • This feeling will pass if I allow it to
  • I have taken tests before, I can do it now
Use deep breathing when the worry thoughts become intrusive.  Try out the “candle exercise.”  Picture a cake with 10 candles on it.  Imagine yourself blowing out each candle one by one using your breathing.  This quick exercise can stop the worry thoughts.  Each student will have his or her own relaxation technique that works. Try a few different ones and see which ones help.

STRATEGIES FOR AFTER THE TEST

Receiving the test results back can also be an anxiety provoking experience.  If you get a grade back with which you are dissatisfied, it is important to reframe the test as information about what you know and what you needs to learn.  Learning is a process, not an outcome.  Know that a mixture of success and failure allows for learning.

Reflect on the test-taking process.  What worked?  What didn’t work?  What can be learned about test-taking skills for the next test?  Praise yourself for any coping strategies you used in the process.

Understand that reducing performance anxiety is a process.  Be patient with yourself as you try things in a new way.  Progress in anxiety reduction is rarely linear—there will inevitably be some good test days and bad test days. Praise small steps in the right direction.

Other sites that might be of help:

Stress Reduction Techniques
Math.com tips
Math Test Anxiety Reduction Checklist
Dos and Don'ts of Dealing with Test Anxiety
NC State Tips for Test Taking
Test Stress: Ten Terrific Test-Taking Tips
Top 10 Test-Taking Strategies
Top Ten Test-Taking Tips for Students Math Test Anxiety


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