Katya is in her first year of college and suffers from test anxiety. She appears to maintain good study habits and has a 3.0 grade point average. However, despite her academic success, she holds a negative self-image and thinks that her diligent study habits will not help her succeed on tests. Katya suffers from severe anxiety due to her fear of under-performing. In the specific instance analyzed in this case study, Katya has a chemistry exam approaching and poor performance on this exam can result in the revocation of her scholarship. Thus, this immense pressure has escalated her level of anxiety significantly. While attempting to study for her exam, her severe test anxiety escalated into a panic attack. She has only two days before the exam and is struggling to cope with her increasing anxiety.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
I have suffered from test anxiety from the time I was in middle school. The thought of upcoming tests makes me nervous and fearful. In the days approaching a test, I suffer from severe insomnia and lie awake for hours – which only further perpetuates my anxiety. I lie awake worrying about how exhausted I will be the next day and how I might be unable to study effectively or even at all. I agonize over the possibility of having a panic attack before or during the exam. As the test date approaches, my anxiety worsens – sometimes to the point where I am unable to study at all. I have growing fears of failure and low self-confidence. During the tests, I am often unable to concentrate and carefully read directions. This compounds my anxiety and often leads to making careless errors on the test. Needless to say, all of this compromised my test grades. Recently, however, when I think of the times my text anxiety was low or even completely absent, I realize that those were the times in which I was most prepared for the exams. I studied sufficiently and had a sense of confidence about my ability to do well because I knew the material well.
RECOMMENDATION
There are two components of test anxiety: the emotional component and the psychological component (Watchorn, 2010). In Katya’s case, she appears to be affected by both. The emotional component includes a variety physiological symptoms (i.e. dry mouth, elevated heart rate, sweaty palms). The emotional component causes stress. This often compromises information processing abilities and increases errors and mistakes made on tests. Research shows that practicing relaxation techniques can decrease test anxiety triggered by the emotional component (Lyness, 2013).
The psychological component involves anxiety related to performance. Reading comprehension is significantly compromised by extreme worry of performance. To reduce this anxiety, research has suggested that the worry be redirected into studying the material and away from taking the actual test. Katya can achieve this in the following ways: finding a comfortable environment to study in; acknowledging and rewarding herself for her progress; keeping track of her time spent studying; making an organized schedule that includes sufficient time to complete all assignments and tasks; remaining focused on the task at hand and not starting a different task until it is complete (Praxis, 2005).
While Katya can employ these anxiety-reduction techniques on a long-term basis and certainly as preventative techniques for future exams, the following suggestions will help Katya reduce her test anxiety and succeed on her upcoming chemistry exam.
Ask for help: Research suggests that those suffering from a severe level of anxiety, such as Katya, should seek out professional mental health resources. Professors, counselors, therapists, peer advisors, and even tutors are all useful resources for those with severe test anxiety to talk to (Lyness, 2013).
Be mindful of negative thoughts: Research by Darcy Lyness, PhD. (2013), reveals that negative thoughts (i.e. thinking that you will do poorly on a test) contribute to anxiety. Remedies for this include catching yourself thinking negatively and replacing such thoughts with positive ones. Current research points out that in order for this technique to be successful, the positive thoughts must be realistic, practical, and genuine (Praxis, 2005).
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle: When anxious or worried, practicing techniques that evoke calmness and relaxation are extremely beneficial (Praxis, 2005). Effective techniques can be as simple as breathing exercises. Research points out that practicing such techniques on a consistent basis, even when anxiety is at bay, makes them more effective at reducing future test anxiety because your body will recognize the task and associate it with relaxation (Lyness, 2013). Additionally, getting 8 hours of sleep every night, exercising regularly, and eating a nutritious diet (especially before an exam) helps the body maintain optimal functioning.
CONCLUSION
There are many effective techniques Katya can employ to reduce her test anxiety both in the short-term and long-term. An important strategy for Katya to reduce her anxiety before her chemistry exam is to counter her negative thoughts with positive thoughts and actions. She studies diligently and should be confident that her hard work will pay off. However, she holds a negative image of her abilities, which compromise her study schedule, compound her anxiety, and can distract her during her exam. It is crucial for Katya to deal with her negative thoughts before they escalate even further and prevent her success on the exam.
After showing signs of anxiety and especially after experiencing a panic attack, it is very important for Katya to take care of her body. Doing so will benefit her mind. Within the next two days, she should pay close attention to eating well and exercising. By continuing all regular activities as usual, Katya will help maintain her physical and emotional well-being.
In addition to employing the long-term techniques described in this paper, it is important for Katya to set realistic goals for herself. By taking advantage of her first year’s experience and new knowledge, she can plan more effective time management. Katya can maintain realistic goals by insuring the inclusion of study time and personal time in her daily schedule.