School Based Strategies for Test Anxiety

In this episode Sarah Reeder (College and Career Readiness Counselor) and I cover the topic of test anxiety along with the common symptoms experienced by students. We discuss specific strategies and techniques that are effective to reduce the overall level of test anxiety. The strategies presented include preparation, addressing underlying anxiety, visualization techniques, the physiological sigh breathing exercise, and dealing with automatic negative thoughts. The skills and techniques are provided to students for use while in school, but the strategies can be applied in most other settings as well.

Transcript

Intro: Welcome to Mr. O’s Podcast episode 3: Test Anxiety

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Intro:

Hello and welcome to Mr. O’s podcast!  I am Doug Olszewski, School Social Worker at NHSD. As a licensed social worker, I have provided over 20 years of counseling supports to students in grades K-12, with the majority of my time being spent in the high school. 

Joining me again is Sarah Reeder, College and Career Readiness Counselor. How are you today? 

The last time we were together Spring Break was upon us and we talked about how quickly the year was going. I can’t believe we are now in the middle of April with only 2 months to go! The year is now flying by! (Small talk)   

In the previous episodes, we talked about both Generalized Anxiety Disorders and Panic Attacks, along with the common school based strategies and techniques recommended for managing them. In today’s episode, we will continue our conversation about anxiety issues in high school and focus on the topic of test anxiety.  

So test anxiety… I want to start off by saying that I don’t remember ever experienced true test anxiety. I have been highly concerned and certainly nervous while taking an exam, and definitely worried about the outcome of a test, but I never had a severe reaction or a moment of freaking out so bad to the point where I needed to leave the testing environment. I think its because I was always an average to above average student who knew I wasn’t going to get a 100% on a test, but I knew that I would likely pass with a C or B.   

But now I am going to make an assumption about you. I’m going to say that you have never really experienced test anxiety before for a couple of reasons. You were an excellent student, you always remain calm under pressure, and you overly prepared for whatever task you are involved with. Am I accurate with that assumption?  

Sarah responds-discussion

Before we get started talking about test anxiety, I have another anxiety joke I want to share. I know, the last one was not great, but let’s see if this one is any better.  

Joke:  You know what makes the human brain so amazing?It can function 24 hours a day, every day since we were born and only stops when taking a test! 

Listen, no one ever accused me of being a comedian!  Did you know I actually put in a prompt into ChatGPT to list 10 good test anxiety jokes and it didn’t come up with 1 that was good? It was like why did test anxiety cross the road… beacuse it couldn’t stand the pressure! 

Maybe even AI gets anxious under pressure? Sure seems like it! I was so disappointed!

OK, that’s out of the way so now we can talk about test anxiety.

So what is test anxiety and why do people experience it? 

OK, for starters, test anxiety is not a formal disorder listed in the DSM, but it is often a manifestation of other anxiety conditions including GAD and panic disorders. Feeling nervous or a little anxious before a test is totally normal, it’s an appropriate reaction to a certain level of pressure or stressor. You might feel butterflies in your stomach or feel yourself getting warm, or question if you will do well on this. Again, this is a totally normal experience that many of us have felt.  

Test anxiety is different because there is a severe reaction to the situation or the test. Someone can experience a combination of over-arousal, tension and somatic symptoms, along with worry, dread, fear of failure and have catastrophizing thoughts, that occur before or during test situations. It is a psychological condition in which people experience extreme distress, anxiety, and discomfort before or while they are taking a test or assessment.  

In high school, we have seen students experience different levels of test anxiety, either in a class setting with a regular exam, during mid-terms, final exams (or CBAs), and during standardized testing like Keystones or AP exams.  

Sarah asks: Are there specific symptoms or criteria for test anxiety?

Yes, when a student has test anxiety they may experience a variety of symptoms: 

●        Physiological over arousal or emotionality including - headaches, stomach aches, nausea, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, light-headedness or fainting, rapid heartbeat and dry mouth. 

●        They can experience worry and dread – including catastrophic expectations of gloom and doom, fear of failure, random thoughts, 

●        They can also have feelings of inadequacy, self-condemnation, negative self-talk, frustration and comparing oneself unfavorably to others.

●        And there are often cognitive/behavioral issues such as poor concentration, "going blank" or "freezing," confusion, and poor organization. Students often report "blanking out" even though they have studied sufficiently for the test.

You can see based on the symptoms how test anxiety is connected to both GAD and panic disorders. Test anxiety may develop from a combination of factors including: being unprepared for class, fear of being embarrassed in front of peers, having a strained relationship with a teacher, along with any underlying levels of anxiety a student may have.  Test anxiety can also happen to academically strong students who have studied and properly prepared for the test, or with those students who have perfectionistic tendencies.  The symptoms and worry are the same.    

I have seen a lot of students who are intensely aware of the clock during timed tests. Even when a test isn’t timed, some students feel their anxiety spike when they see their peers start to turn in their tests if they aren’t finished yet. 

Good point! There is a build up of anxiety from clock watching and increased pressure when other students turn in their tests before someone is done. Both of which can magnify a students level of anxiety while still testing.

We have both worked with students with test anxiety who often report feeling immediately overwhelmed, having shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating or blanking out, then experience an intense fear of failing, along with being inundated with automatic negative thoughts that spiral downward about the outcome of the test.  This can further develop into them not only feeling like they will fail the test, but then it continues to include failing the chapter they are working on, failing the marking period, failing for the year, and then finally failing for the rest of their lives! What usually results is either a partial or total freeze while taking the test. They lose concentration and the ability to focus, or are not able to remember any material that they previously studied.  They then begin to experience anxiety over their blanking out and not remembering the content which then furthers the negative thoughts they were having.  

That example you gave sounds so extreme, but it’s exactly what happens to many students. They stop thinking about the test as a single event and start to build it up in their minds as if it’s something that is going to determine their success for the rest of their lives. I imagine that this creates a self-fulfilling prophecy that causes them to do worse on tests, right?

Yes that is correct! As a result of the anxiety, students may fail or not achieve an acceptable grade on the test, develop feelings of low self-esteem and self-doubt in their academic abilities, and form a growing fear that they will continue to perform poorly on assessments throughout their school career. For some, they view all their efforts of studying and preparing as pointless because they are not able to recall information when needed, while they are actually taking the test. They begin to have a negative outlook regarding their abilities to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the material.  So when they don’t actually perform as well as they would have liked to on a test, they can start to develop a cycle of fear about taking other exams because they feel they will not do well. 

Do you remember a time when this happened to a student you were working with?

I have had so many students with this experience. Sometimes the anxiety is linked to a big test, like the SAT or ACT, but other times it might be as small as a minor quiz. One thing I come across a lot is when students say that they prepare for a test, but their mind goes blank once the test is in front of them. One thing I suggest that students do is immediately turn the test over to the back so they can’t see the questions, then do a brain dump of everything they remember from studying - formulas, facts, names of people or places, etc. Then when they turn it over, even if their mind goes blank, they will have essentially made themselves a study guide that they can refer back to!

That is such a great strategy!  I have not thought of that before, but I will definitely include it when talking with students moving forward. I clearly remember a student who was taking a big multi-unit test, and she completely froze, started shaking and got up and left the room! It caused her to feel anxious about taking future tests, and she doubted her abilities in understanding of the material. She started getting into their own head about how her studying wasn’t good enough and that it didn’t matter anyway because she was just going to freeze or fail every test they took. Unfortunately that is what actually happened. We had to spend a good amount of time working on strategies and techniques for her to gain the confidence and ability to do well once again. She actually was able to get back on track and did great the rest of the year.  

Sarah asks: So what can students do to help if they are experiencing test anxiety?

There are a few proactive strategies that a student can use to reduce or prevent test anxiety. I typically encourage students to use the following strategies:

●        The first strategy I would recommend is preparation – Preparation is something we all need to do in order to learn and develop mastery of a skill. Pay attention in class and be an active participant. Ask questions in class to clarify specific points and go over the areas that you don’t understand. At home, do the assigned homework, spend time studying and review notes and practice the things you may not fully grasp. Read the chapter summary and take a practice test if available. Meet with your teacher in advance to review or relearn some of the material. Do these things proactively and not just the day before. Be sure you know the material before you enter the class and take the test. Being prepared is the first step to prevent test anxiety.

In addition to knowing the material, I think it’s also helpful if students have a clear understanding of the test environment ahead of time as well. How much time will they have on the test? Are they allowed to have scrap paper? etc. Sometimes knowing what to expect can help the testing environment seem less scary.  Yes, those things can be very helpful and are pretty simple to find out from the teacher ahead of time.

●        The next strategy is to address any underlying anxiety that may be present. If there is some level of anxiety or fear present that you are aware of, use coping skills and breathing techniques to reduce the heightened anxiety.  Acknowledge the fact that you may not have done well on a previous test, but remind yourself that you have taken proactive steps to be prepared: such as reviewed the material, spent time studying, met with a teacher to go over what you didn’t understand fully. You have spent a significant amount of time building your knowledge of the material in preparation of the test.   

●        The third strategy is visualization- I find that one of the most effective strategies a student can use to reduce their test anxiety is visualization. Visualization, or imagery as some people call it, is the process of picturing in your mind the things that you want to achieve, so in this case it means not panicking and doing well on a test. During a visualization exercise you focus on the specific steps needed to obtain your goal and what it would be like to actually achieve that goal. You prepare by imagining your efforts and preparation along with your success of doing well on the test. 

I work with students to develop a mental picture of them successfully completing each step of their day in order, up to and including taking the test.  We will repeatedly practice them visualizing their success with each step, and dealing with any anxiety they may have, throughout the process.  A great example of this can be seen if you watch professional sports. I like to use either Olympic snowboarding or downhill skiing. You actually see the athlete standing at the top of their run, seeing the course, visualizing their motions, turns or tricks they will accomplish and their success in completing their task prior to actually starting. I work with students over a number of sessions for them to get familiar with and further develop their imagery skills.  

As an example of this process, I would have students close their eyes and visualize the following events: 

Picture yourself reviewing, studying and completing all the homework. See yourself getting ready for school, arriving at school and walking into class calmly and confidently, knowing you put time and energy into preparing and learning the material. Watch as you take your seat and the teacher passes out the test. See how calm and relaxed you are. Remind yourself that there is no fear or worry about taking the test since you are well prepared.  Visualize yourself confidently answering questions and doing well on the test. See your success. The key is for a student to focus on remaining calm and confident so they reduce any physiological symptoms, worry and negative thoughts they may experience as they are taking the test.  

We would practice this strategy multiple times in my office and I would have them repeat the steps back to me until I am confident that they can walk themselves through the visualization exercise.  Then on the day of the exam, I would have them take a few minutes in the morning to sit quietly and visualize these steps to start their day. I would also ask that they repeat this process a few times during the day up until the exam actually starts.

So Sarah, what are your thoughts on this visualization activity?

I think it’s great! So many of these strategies might feel a little silly at first, but they really do work and get easier to do the more you practice them.  Agreed. They can seem silly initially and students resist at times, but as we practice and they become more familiar with it, it definitely becomes easier and they see the benefit.  

●        The next strategy I would discuss with students are breathing exercises – they are great to help calm the nervous system and relax. I ask students to try and  incorporate any breathing techniques they are familiar with such as the physiological sigh or at minimum, have them say “calm” every time they exhale. We have discussed the physiological sigh before, but to review, this breathing exercise occurs when you double inhale, fully breathe in from your nose, fill your lungs to capacity, but then force yourself to inhale a little more before you exhale slowly through your mouth.  Repeat 5x’s. With all breathing techniques, be sure to exhale longer than you inhale. While this is a great technique to reduce anxiety immediately, students should use any breathing technique that they have tried before and that works for them.  

●        The last strategy I would recommend to a student is to catch the Automatic Negative Thoughts or ANTS and try to prevent them from spiraling. This can be very difficult while you are actually taking a test, but if you are able to, it is highly recommended. Students who experience test anxiety often have the immediate thought that their mind will go blank, they will freeze or they are going to forget all the material and will then fail.  Their minds often spiral negatively downward so catching ANTS is very beneficial. We discussed the details on how to effectively deal with ANTS in the previous episodes, but in summary I encourage students to identify their negative thought and say out loud if possible: “I’m having the negative thought that… I’m going to freeze, I’m going to forget everything I studied, I’m going to fail”. Students should then ask themselves “Is it absolutely true that I will freeze and forget everything?” Lastly, prevent it from negatively spiraling downward by asking the question “how likely is it that I will…forget everything on the test, freeze and completely fail the entire exam?” Focus on a more realistic and appropriate outcome such as “I may not know every answer, but I will likely not fail the entire test”. I again encourage students to remind themselves that they took all the proper steps to study, review, and prepare prior to this moment, so they should be confident about knowing the material. They need to remind themselves that even though they may not do as well as they would like, it is unlikely that they will fail the entire exam.        

So those are the main school-based techniques that I would discuss with a student if they were struggling with test anxiety.  Again, we would focus on the details of the student’s specific circumstances and modify the strategies to fit their personal needs, but generally speaking, these steps would be reviewed. I also want to reiterate that this is not a comprehensive list of every anxiety treatment available, only some of which are most effective for in school use.

Sarah, so what do you think? Any of these strategies make sense to you? 

Leading up to the test, I would definitely encourage students to use visualization strategies and to remind themselves that no one test in school is going to determine their future. Each test is one of many grades for a marking period. Each marking period is one of 4 in the school year, and each school year is one of 4 in a high school career. Sometimes it’s helpful for students to zoom out a little bit instead of being so hyper focused on each individual test. During the test itself, I think it’s so important for students to breathe. Taking a minute to breathe deeply or do the physiological sigh can save them a lot of time being unfocused and anxious in the long run. 

That’s a really important point you mentioned that students need to be aware of.  People often get stuck in that negative thinking loop and need to recognize that one test is just a moment in time. There are actually many opportunities over multiple years in high school for a student to demonstrate their knowledge and do well academically. 

To summarize, if a student is willing to work at it, there is a definite benefit to using the strategies we discussed to effectively deal with and reduce their test anxiety.

So this concludes the episode on test anxiety. Sarah, thank you so much for being here and talking about effective strategies for students to use. I really appreciate it. 

I am Doug Olszewski, school social worker as NHSD and I want to thank you for listening to

 Mr. O’s podcast. 

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