Test anxiety in school-age children: An examination of a national epidemic

Abstract

Test anxiety has long been an issue with students, parents and in schools on a global level. Many students are becoming overwhelmed with the increased demands placed on test preparation and test performance. Accountability measures have become a major priority, with school children enduring standardised testing annually from grades 3-8, and once more in high school. This article will explore the many facets of test anxiety, what some schools are doing to try to reduce the anxiety and interventions, so that counsellors can use in their work with students.

Perfiles motivacionales y su relación con la ansiedad ante los exámenes en estudiantes de Educación Primaria

“…Este hallazgo sería consistente con la disfuncionalidad a la que suelen vincularse los perfiles con baja motivación, los cuales evidencian una tendencia a la rumiación y un bajo compromiso académico (Meens et al, 2018). Por lo común, los estudiantes poco motivados hacia las tareas académicas suelen presentar una baja percepción de valía personal, de manera que tienden a experimentar un mayor grado de estrés (Valiente-Barroso et al, 2020) y ansiedad ante los exámenes (Lamb et al, 2018), no en vano las situaciones de logro académico representan una continua amenaza para su autoestima (Yang et al, 2019). Bajo estas circunstancias, su prioridad motivacional se orienta hacia la protección de sus sentimientos de valía personal (Barutçu-Yildirim y Demir, 2020), relegando su interés (tanto intrínseco como extrínseco) por las tareas académicas a un segundo plano (Ferradás et al, 2019).…”

State anxiety and cardiovascular activity in an academic examination

“…In this context, university students are faced with assessments that have a strong impact on their futures. Along with pressure from parents, teachers, and peers, they can experience overwhelming physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms that temporarily impair their cognitive abilities and their academic performance (Lamb, Scott, Bentley, & Sumner, 2018). During examinations, individuals high in anxiety are more likely to experience frequent and intense elevations in anxiety as an emotional state (SA), greater activation of the autonomic nervous system, and more self-centered worry and task-irrelevant thoughts that interfere with attention and performance.…”