Test Anxiety

Most of us have experienced high test anxiety at some time in our school careers. We worried the night before the test, sure we would face certain shame and failure by high noon. We went to tests with butterflies in our stomachs, and perhaps studied hard only to forget what we already knew. Yet, such experiences were only occasional, for most of us, and we recovered quickly. What about our sons and daughters?

Jenny is a high schooler with high test anxiety. She worries when she studies, sure that whatever she learns is not enough or that it will vanish from mind the moment she steps into the next exam. She dreads exams, feels queasy, and can hear her heart pounding when she takes exams. And the information she fears she will forget does indeed vanish, leaving her hapless and helpless in the midst of an exam, and more afraid than ever. She may be a good student, or perhaps average, but she always worries afterward that she failed the exam or made an unacceptable score. She is ashamed of her condition, which is common among those with anxiety disorders, and she knows that she is being not quite rational. So she hides her anxieties from her parents and from her teachers as well.

Jenny has the three major features of a test anxiety disorder:

Worry, fear of failure, and a general pessimism about most exams;
Trembling, racing heart, feeling numb or ill during important tests;
Forgetting what she already knows, and not thinking on tests as clearly as she ordinarily does.

At least 5 to 6 percent of secondary school students wrestle with test anxiety severe enough to mess with their minds, make them miserable, and significantly lower their performance on important tests. We need to identify these youngsters, and give them a hand out of their personal pain and confusion.

How do we identify test anxiety disorders in our children? I provide (below) a brief, three-item scale. Read and discuss the items with your son or daughter, then tally the score.

Test Anxiety Scale
Rate the following three items as

5= extremely or always true
4= highly or usually true
3= moderately or sometimes true
2= seldom or slightly true
1= not at all or never true

1. ___As I study for my exams, I worry that I will not remember the material on the exam.

2. ___I feel stressed during exams, and feel queasy or notice that my heart is pounding.

3. ___I lose focus on important exams, and I cannot remember material that I knew before the exam.

___Add your score for the three items.

___Divide by 3. This is your child's test anxiety score.

A score of 3 or higher suggests high anxiety, and indicates that your child might benefit from an anxiety reduction program. Consult your school counselor or psychologist.

Richard Driscoll, Ph.D., is the author of Tame Test Anxiety. He is a member of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and a media resource with the American Psychological Association. Additional information is available on www.peacewithmyself.com.

Communicating with Your Child About Test Anxiety by the United Federation of Teachers in consultation with psychologist June Feder, Ph.D.

Taking standardized tests can strike fear in the hearts of the brightest children. A moderate case of the jitters is normal and sometimes a little stress may even help improve a child’s performance.

But too much stress can hurt. It can cause intense discomfort and reduce your child’s chances of doing well. Test anxiety can come from many things. Children may be afraid of the unknown or worry about their competence. They may fear failure or worry that you will be angry with them if they don’t do well on the test.

The bad news is that test anxiety can cause difficulties. The good news is that there are things you can do to help your child. Here are some suggestions:

Reassure your child that being nervous about a test is normal. This will help your child feel that anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of or worried about.
Speak to your child about her worries or concerns. Ask her what she fears and listen carefully to what she says. This will tell her that you are truly interested and that she has someone to whom she can turn.
Try to distinguish between normal anxiety and more serious reactions. If his stress is causing changes in behavior such as sleep disruption, loss of appetite, generalized fears of school or problems with relationships, it may be a sign of more serious difficulties. If you notice these changes or feel some concern, it may be wise to speak with your family doctor or school counselor.
Remind your child that this is just a test. Although it may be important, reassure him that if he has studied hard and done the required work in school, he is almost certainly well prepared. Assure him that even if he fails an exam, he will have another chance to pass it. Assure him that he will have other opportunities to show what he has learned. This test is not his only chance to shine.
Tell your child that the new assessments are not tests you can cram for. Success on these tests depends on her determination to understand classroom lessons and on her steady work, in school and at home, to meet the learning expectations.
Share with your child your own anxieties about exams, as a child and as an adult. For example, relate how you felt before a driving test or a job interview. Tell him what you did to cope. This will help him feel that you understand him, that he is not alone and that there are things he can do.
Remind your child that the new tests often call for written explanations, not strictly "right or wrong" short answers. Rather than requiring only rote memorization, the new assessments give her a chance to demonstrate "critical thinking" skills or get credit for many good answers, if she can justify them. This increases her chances of scoring points for what she actually knows.
And, most important, let your children know that, while you expect them to work hard and do their best, you will love them no matter what happens.

Helping your child overcome test anxiety by the Guiderland Central School District

Tests are a big part of school life, more so today than ever before with the emphasis on meeting higher standards. Today’s tests not only tell students how well they are doing and where they need to improve, they also allow teachers to identify where the curriculum needs to be fine tuned.

So if tests are so helpful, why do they cause some children so much anguish?

Any test that requires students to show their best work is likely to produce some jitters. However, when those jitters produce extreme preoccupation with failure, sleeplessness, trembling hands, stomach pains or feeling faint, your child is likely experiencing "test anxiety."

According to the U.S. Department of Education, students who suffer from test anxiety tend to worry about success in school and may be extremely self-critical. Instead of feeling challenged by the prospect of success, they become afraid of failure. This makes them anxious about tests and their own abilities. Simply encouraging them to stop worrying usually doesn’t help ease their concerns. If you find your child tends to experience anxiety prior to tests, here are some things you might try:

	Encourage your child to study over a period of time rather than "cram" the night before an exam. This becomes particularly important with end-of-the-year tests, many of which are reflective of the content that has been taught throughout the year. Test preparation should be more like a review than a stressful attempt to learn a year’s worth of curriculum in one night.
	Try to keep your talk about tests casual (while driving in the car or preparing dinner, ask how your child feels about an upcoming test). Children are more likely to open up about fears or anxiety in less confrontational situations rather than when face-to-face.
	Meet with teachers or a guidance counselor to discuss your child’s progress. They can suggest activities to do at home to help prepare for tests and improve your child’s understanding of schoolwork.
	Stay well informed about your child’s tests.
	Know how different test results are used and how they will affect your child’s placement in school. Many content area tests and projects count for a percentage of the year’s grade and can determine whether a student passes or fails a subject area. Others, like the eighth grade state tests, are designed to show how well students have learned information in different content areas throughout the middle school years. Students who score below a certain level will not be retained because of their grade. Scores from these tests are used by teachers to determine whether students will need remedial help to prepare for the more challenging content in high school.
	Don’t dismiss the test as unimportant. At the same time, let your child know that it’s his or her effort and not the final score that really counts.

Before the test, make sure your child:

	Gets a good night’s sleep.
	Eats a wholesome breakfast.
	Dresses comfortably.
	Is on time to school.
	Has all necessary materials (pen, pencil, calculator, etc.).
	Avoids stressful situations (such as arguments) prior to testing.

During the test, encourage your child to:

	Ask questions of the person administering the test if unsure what is being asked.
	Answer questions completely and in detail.
	Check to be sure no questions have been skipped.
	Proofread answers.
	Avoid becoming distracted by other test takers.
	Silently repeat calming phrases such as "This is only a test," "I don’t have to be perfect," or "I can be nervous later, but now I have to concentrate on the test."
	Take a few deep breaths, get up to get a drink or to sharpen a pencil, shift seating position or stand to stretch.
	Don’t worry about who finishes first or last.
	Go back and proof answers again if finished early, but don’t change anything unless sure of the change. Studies show the first answer is usually the right one.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Test? By Richard Driscoll, PTA

Communicating with Your Child About Test Anxiety by the United Federation of Teachers in consultation with psychologist June Feder, Ph.D.

My child fails tests. Nerves? Or poor study? True test anxiety is rare, says ‘Today’ parenting expert Dr. Ruth Peters, who offers some techniques for better preparation By Ruth A. Peters, Ph.D., Today Show Contributor