Helping Students Manage Test Anxiety

The TL/DR...

• Test anxiety can consume the cognitive processing power of working memory needed for problem-solving, which can lead to poorer performance in testing environments that emphasize time pressure or high stakes.
• Factors such as fear of failure, attaching an excessively high value to the importance of test outcomes, and a perceived lack of control or uncertainty about test content and difficulty can contribute to a student’s test anxiety.
• Educators can reduce test anxiety by clearly communicating test expectations, ensuring that the content on the test reflects what is taught in the classroom, and teaching test preparation and stress management techniques that build student confidence.

Imagine a student walking into the classroom. Their palms are sweaty, their heart rate is rapid, their breathing is shallow, and their thoughts are racing. These kinds of responses are typical of how a person might react if they think they are in danger or perceive a threat. This is known as the “fight or flight” response. For some students, the mere act of taking a test can trigger this response, and sometimes it can be severe. Education experts refer to this as test anxiety. When a student experiences test anxiety, the “danger” or “threat” they are reacting to is the test itself. They may view the test as something that can seriously harm their chances of academic success if they do not perform well. The test may intensify a student’s fear of failure and cause them to doubt their own academic capabilities. Put simply, the idea of taking a test might cause the student to “psyche themselves out” with a lot of anxious thoughts and negative feelings.

That anxiety can have an adverse impact on a student’s cognitive processes, specifically in the part of the brain that houses working memory. This is where information is temporarily stored, manipulated, and utilized for problem-solving and decision-making. Working memory has limited capacity, and excessive anxiety can consume a significant amount of its information processing power. This can lead to a deficit in working memory which can adversely affect a student’s ability to perform well on a test. Severe test anxiety can make this deficit worse. Studies show that a student with test anxiety may be able to successfully perform a problem-solving task under normal circumstances. However, they will often fail at the same task if it is attempted in a testing environment where factors such as strict time limits or undue pressure to complete the task to get a good grade are emphasized. The good news, however, is that there are strategies that can help alleviate a student’s test anxiety. Holly Klee, assistant professor in the Educational Psychology Program at George Mason University, recently shared her thoughts on some of these strategies.

What causes test anxiety?

There are many reasons why students might develop test anxiety. As mentioned previously, they may have a fear of failure. The student may be a perfectionist who places high demands on themselves, demands that can sometimes be unrealistic or difficult to meet. Students may also attach an inordinately high value to the test regarding how it will affect their chances of academic success. In addition, the student’s perceived lack of control over the questions that will appear on the test and related concerns over the potential difficulty of these questions can make the student feel uncertain about whether they will do well on the test. This feeling of uncertainty may persist no matter how extensively the student has prepared for the test and can lead to feelings of self-doubt. This can contribute to a student’s anxiety and worry about the test.

Educators can provide students with test preparation and stress management practices that can help them reduce anxiety and build confidence.

Fortunately, there are things that a teacher can do to help a student manage their test anxiety. These strategies will increase a student’s confidence and provide them with an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in a way that minimizes any stress or uncertainty they may be experiencing. Several of these strategies are described below:

• Teachers can reinforce the student’s belief in their own abilities by assuring them that the content on the test will consist of material they have already learned and that it will not include any “trick” questions.
• The test should be designed in a manner that reflects what students have been doing in class or as homework. Students should be provided with a clear explanation of what content will be on the test and how it will be structured.
• Students should be encouraged to allocate adequate preparation time ahead of the test to review the content they have learned. Teachers should emphasize that last minute “cramming” is not an effective method of test preparation.
• Teachers should incorporate “real world” contexts into the questions that appear on a test. This will allow students to convey the content they have learned in a fashion that relates to their own life experiences. In turn, this will make the content more authentic and relevant to the student, which will lead to deeper learning.
• Where appropriate, educators should allow students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge through an “open notes” test. Doing so places a greater emphasis on a student’s critical thinking skills, rather than their rote memorization skills.
• Finally, teachers could advise students on practices that can reduce the physiological signs of stress. These might include breathing techniques, meditation, visualization methods, or exercise. Students should also be reminded to get adequate sleep the night before the test so they can function at their best.

For information on degree offerings in the Educational Psychology Program at George Mason University, please visit the program website.