Comparison of individualized covert modeling, self-control desensitization, and study skills training for alleviation of test anxiety.

Abstract

This study assessed the comparative efficacy of individualized covert modeling combined with study skills training, self-control desensitization combined with study skills training, and study skills training alone as treatments for test anxiety. Forty-eight test-anxious students were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment conditions or to a waiting-list control group. All treatment groups met for eight 1-hour sessions. The assessment of test anxiety was made on the basis of self-report measures administered prior to treatment and at the completion of treatment. Academic performance was measured by grade point average. At posttest, all treatment groups were significantly better than waitinglist controls on one or more of the dependent measures employed. Individualized covert modeling and self-control desensitization both substantially reduced self-reported test anxiety. However, the individualized covert modeling group was the only treatment group that showed significant improvement in academic performance. A replication of the individualized covert modeling procedure produced similar positive results.

Test anxiety and academic competence: A comparison of alternative models.

“…In view of the present findings, which implicate cognitive, skills, and social learning processes in academic performance, counseling for solely cognitive or emotional components may be insufficient to raise grades. In fact, when counseling has included components that address some of these processes (usually study skills), improvement on performance indexes has been found (e.g., Allen, 1973; Dendato & Diener, 1986; Harris & Johnson, 1980; Kirkland & Hollandsworth, 1980; Mitchell & Ng, 1972; Tryon, 1980).…”

Cognitive processes in mathematics anxiety and test anxiety: The role of appraisals, internal dialogue, and attributions.

“…This 10-item, 5-point scale has often served as a dispositional measure of test anxiety. A cutoff score of 30 or above is seen as indicative of levels of test anxiety high enough to warrant treatment (Harris & Johnson, 1980). In the present study, 35 of the 96 subjects scored 30 or higher on the Debilitating Anxiety scale, indicating that over one third of the subjects could be classified as highly test anxious.…”

“…This 10-item, 5point scale has often served as a dispositional measure of test anxiety. A cutoff score of 30 or above is seen as indicative of levels of test anxiety high enough to warrant treatment (Harris & Johnson. 1980).…”

Group work in the treatment of test anxiety

“…From the results of combined treatments in eight studies (Allen, 1971;Altmaier & Woodward, 1981;Dendato & Diener, 1986;Harris & Johnson, 1980;Katahn, Strenger, & Cherry, 1966;Lent & Russell, 1978;McManus, 1971;Mitchell & Ng, 1972) the conclusion that these researchers have reached (and which is obvious to me from the data in Table 2) is that combined approaches must be used for test-anxious students. Three combinations are revealed in the literature: (a) a behavioral and cognitive approach combined with study skills training, (b) a behavioral and cognitive approach combined with group counseling, and (c) a behavioral approach combined with group counseling and study skills training.…”