Exam Anxiety

What is Test Anxiety?

Test anxiety is the state of anxiety, tension and stress that students experience when faced with an exam. This situation is based on intense anxiety and fears about exam performance and level of success. Test anxiety can have negative effects on students' expectations, self-confidence and beliefs about success.

The underlying psychological situation is usually the student's decreased confidence in their own abilities and the weight of negative thoughts. Students become anxious due to the fear of facing the negative results of the exam. This anxiety results in a "fight or flight" response in the brain, increasing the release of stress hormones.

In addition, students' desire to meet the expectations of those around them and to maintain their place in society can also feed test anxiety. In this case, students face the fear of failing in the exam and these thoughts can further increase their anxiety.

In order to cope with test anxiety, students should be supported by teaching strategies such as exam techniques, time management and relaxation exercises.

Causes of Exam Anxiety

The main reasons for exam anxiety are related to students' thoughts, expectations and environmental factors, and may show individual differences. In order to cope with anxiety, students should be helped with exam techniques, test strategies, regular study habits and emotional support. Exam anxiety is a common condition for many students and has multiple causes. The main causes include:

Success Pressure: The high expectations that students have for themselves and their families make them feel obliged to succeed in exams, which increases anxiety.

Fear of Negative Results: The fear of failing or getting a low grade in the exam creates great anxiety in students.

Lack of Self-Confidence: Students' lack of confidence in their own abilities strengthens the thought that they will fail, increasing exam anxiety.

Uncertainty: The feeling of uncertainty about the exam content, question style or difficulty level is one of the main causes of anxiety.

Exam-Focused Education: Giving lessons only for exams negatively affects students' learning processes and increases exam anxiety.

Emotional State: Stressful events, family problems or emotional issues experienced by students can increase test anxiety.

Exam Anxiety Symptoms

Exam anxiety symptoms may vary from person to person. The situations caused by this anxiety can cause physical and psychological symptoms. Exam anxiety symptoms can be listed as follows:

Physical Symptoms: Physical symptoms related to stress such as heart palpitations, sweating, shaking, nausea and headache are an indicator of exam anxiety.

Difficulty in Attention and Concentration: Intense anxiety can cause the student to focus on exam questions and lose clarity of thought.

Negative Thoughts and Worries: Fear of failure, anxiety about getting a low grade and thoughts full of negative scenarios are clear indicators of exam anxiety.

Sleep Problems: Disruption in sleep patterns and insomnia as the exam approaches are one of the effects of exam anxiety.

Avoidance Behaviors: Avoiding exam-related situations can be a reaction by which the student tries to reduce his/her anxiety level.

Constant Anxiety: Constant anxiety about the results of the exam and having concerns about the future are clear indicators of exam anxiety.

These are typical symptoms that indicate that a student is experiencing test anxiety. To cope with test anxiety, students can be provided with relaxation techniques, time management strategies, and emotional support.

Methods for Dealing with Exam Anxiety

Various psychological studies and methods can be used to deal with exam anxiety.

With the mental preparation method, students are taught exam techniques and test strategies and are made aware of how to handle the exam. This reduces students' uncertainties about the exam.

With emotional support, students can be provided with emotional support by their families, teachers or expert psychologists. This support can help reduce their anxiety levels and develop a positive perspective.

Breathing and relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation and muscle relaxation exercises, can be effective in reducing exam stress.

Positive thinking techniques and techniques that focus on noticing negative thoughts and replacing them with positive and realistic thoughts can increase students' self-confidence.

With goal-oriented work, students are supported in setting goals and acquiring regular study habits, and they are motivated.

With pre-exam process management, students can be advised to make planned preparations and time management strategies to reduce last-minute stress before the exam.

These psychological studies and methods help students cope with test anxiety and help them enter exams in a calmer, more focused and more confident manner.

How to Overcome Exam Anxiety?

There are some steps that a person can take to overcome exam anxiety, and the things that a person can do individually include:

Self-Awareness: The student should accept that they are experiencing exam anxiety and understand the causes and effects of anxiety.

Developing Positive Thoughts and Self-Confidence: They can increase their self-confidence by developing positive and realistic thoughts instead of negative ones.

Relaxation Techniques: Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation or yoga can reduce anxiety levels.

Planned Study and Time Management: They can prepare for the exam process by acquiring regular and planned study habits.

Here is what the people around people who experience anxiety can do;

Empathy and Understanding: An understanding and empathic approach to people who experience anxiety can help them share their feelings.

Support: It is important to support the person experiencing anxiety and make them feel that you are with them.

Positive Motivation: Encouraging them to overcome anxiety and saying positive motivating words will be useful.

Stress-Reducing Environment: People around a person experiencing exam anxiety should keep them away from situations that may increase stress and a calm environment should be provided.

With individual studies and positive support, it becomes more possible to reduce and overcome test anxiety.

Test Anxiety Therapy Methods

Therapy methods used for test anxiety are as follows:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on changing negative thought patterns, developing positive thoughts and providing anxiety coping skills.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Instead of fighting against anxiety-causing thoughts, it teaches you to accept them and live a valuable life.

Relaxation Techniques: Physical and mental relaxation is achieved through methods such as meditation, deep breathing, and muscle relaxation.

Future-Focused Therapy: A type of therapy that focuses on future goals to reduce exam anxiety and motivate the student.

Therapy methods for individuals experiencing exam anxiety may vary depending on personal needs and the therapist's area of ​​expertise. The aim of therapy is to reduce the individual's anxiety level, increase their self-confidence, and help them develop healthier coping strategies.

Recommendations for Parents for Exam Anxiety

Mothers and fathers who have children experiencing exam anxiety can apply the following recommendations;

• Understand and support your child’s anxiety.
• Maintain a positive attitude toward exams, praise their achievements, and avoid overwhelming expectations.
• Help your child establish a regular, structured study routine.
• Teach your child relaxation techniques, such as breathing or meditation, to help reduce stress.
• Emphasize that success is based on effort and learning, not just test scores.
• If test anxiety is severe, consider seeking professional help (psychologist or therapist).

These suggestions can help children cope with test anxiety and manage the exam process in a healthier way.

When is Psychiatric Support Necessary?

The situations in which psychiatric support should be sought for test anxiety are when test anxiety significantly affects the child's or individual's quality of life and negatively affects daily functioning. If test anxiety negatively affects your child's school performance, disrupts social relationships, negatively affects sleep and eating patterns, and if anxiety symptoms are intense and persistent, it may be appropriate to consult a specialist for psychiatric support. Psychiatric support will assess the child's or individual's anxiety level, determine appropriate treatment and therapy methods, and provide medication when necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions About Test Anxiety