The focus of this paper is on improving the measurement of test anxiety. Background information is given about the role of motivation and the importance of testing. The present research is directed at developing a shorter, more reliable and valid measure of test anxiety, thus furthering the predictive, diagnostic, and test program uses of test…

Methods of helping students reduce test anxiety are discussed, including guided fantasy which leads students to imagine a setting in which they feel competent and relaxed. Catastrophic-anastrophic expectations teach that different expectations create different feelings and make students aware that they are in charge of their own attitudes. Anxiety…

Investigated relative effectiveness of rational behavior therapy and systematic desensitization in the treatment of state (test) anxiety and trait anxiety. There were no significant differences between the rational behavior and systematic desensitization groups in regard to test anxiety reduction, but the behavior group did have significantly…

Deffenbacher describes test anxiety as a psychological problem and outlines five possible responses of counseling. Carr suggests test anxiety is a political problem calling for preventive counseling stretegies rather than remedial corrective approaches. (Author)

Two studies investigated an information processing model in explaining the poor academic performance of highly test-anxious students. The first measured the organization of course material by students in a nonevaluative situation; and the second differentiated types of highly test anxious students by their information processing skills.…

Two experiments examined the role that college students' verbal aptitude and evaluation anxiety play in the production of persuasive letters. Results showed that verbal aptitude should be considered when predicting the quality of students writing. Taking writing anxiety into account did not increase the predictive power of verbal aptitude scores.…

Results of a study of test anxiety among community college students are reported, and their implications for intervention are discussed. It is suggested that evaluation anxiety be reduced by reducing emotional arousal, modifying the learning environment, developing a cognitive task orientation, and involving the college staff in cooperating for…

Examines how test anxiety affects children in certain evaluation situations and focuses on developing more valid and effective measurement procedures in school achievement testings. Third and fourth graders were divided into three anxiety groups and tested under time and no time pressures. Anxiety level, time pressure, and sex affected…

This study provides a parametric extension of the immediate feedback and partial credit components of Pressey's corrective testing procedure. On several measures of students' subjective reactions, corrective testing feedback was superior to conventional multiple choice format. Providing students two attempts to answer each item obtained the most…

Psychologists and educators recommend classroom strategies for helping children cope with their fears. Teachers can: (1) provide a sense of security; (2) ask children for their advice in problem areas; (3) use desensitization techniques; and (4) take advantage of dramatizations, readings, and art to help children express and conquer fears. (PP)

Points out three difficulties with the Munz-Smouse test anxiety classification scheme. Describes an alternative procedure and illustrates its advantages over the Munz-Smouse procedure. (RL)

Examined role of examination stress in daily lives of Korean adolescents and its effect on their use of free time. Found that adolescents spent large amounts of time doing schoolwork, time experienced as quite taxing. Free-time activities were primarily passive, oriented toward recuperation from stress. Adolescents' most positive states were…

Assessed effects on undergraduate students (N=54) of direct (induced affect) and generalized (covert rehearsal) cognitive-behavior coping skills programs for test anxiety. Found both training procedures significantly reduced test anxiety but that induced affect yielded largest anxiety decrease and greatest test performance improvement while covert…

A videotape was shown to 648 eighth and ninth grade technology education students. Eight groups of classes received different treatments: test announcements before or after viewing and administration of tests or review of material. Scores on teacher-made tests improved only when announcement was followed by time-on-task learning or the promised…

No significant differences in performance on a self-adapted test or anxiety were found for college students (n=218) taking a self-adapted test who selected item difficulty without any prior information, inspected an item before selecting, or answered a typical item and received performance feedback. (SLD)