Reducing Test or
Performance Anxiety
Index
Information
Advice
Internet Links
Books & Media
CSULB Referrals
Other
INFORMATION
The term "test anxiety" means
that you are experiencing an above average degree of anxiety while you are
taking examinations. Performance anxiety is high anxiety in other performance
situations (public speaking, sports, etc.). It's causes aren't very different from causes of any
kind of anxiety--especially other types of "performance anxiety", and you can learn how to get a great deal of control over
it.
Examples of common causes of
frequent, high degrees of test anxiety include:
 |
Not feeling confident
about knowing the material well enough (maybe you really don't and need to
study more or better), go to our
Learning and Study Skills help page. |
|
Factors that can increase
test anxiety include: the importance of the test; time pressures; a critical
instructor, peers, or parent; a subject you are not confident
in; a certain type of test (e.g. essay or objective); |
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Anxiety about your grades
or achievement. If you are trying to make grades that are very
difficult for you in order to get into a graduate program, get a certain
job, or obtain some other outcome, then you may experience constant pressure
to do extremely well on every test. This problem will be increased if
you "put all your eggs in one basket" and don't have good
alternatives to your primary goal. Develop acceptable plan B, plan C,
etc. so that you don't think you will fall into a dark pit if you don't get
into graduate school or achieve plan A. Having acceptable alternative
plans can greatly reduce anxiety caused by goals that are difficult to
achieve. To learn
more about modifying goals to reduce anxiety click here. |
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Anxiety due to too much
negative feedback or traumatic events. It may be that you have had one
or more very negative experiences associated with test-taking. In this
case, you may need counseling and/or
systematic desensitization. |
|
General problems with
anxiety and/or depression. If you are a generally anxious or depressed
person that causes problems in many life situations, then you may need
counseling. You can read more about negative
emotions and their causes by clicking here. |
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ADVICE
If you are experiencing test anxiety, it
can have significant effects upon your grades. Don't ignore it. You can
improve it significantly with help.
One Technique: FOCUSING "ON THE BALL" CAN HELP US OVERCOME ANXIETY
(copied from Dr. Stevens' web link below)
Performance anxiety produces interfering thoughts. There are many types of performance anxiety, but they have similar causes. Test
anxiety is a good example and is very common among students. Research (and my clinical observation) has shown that people who have
test anxiety are really spending much of their test time thinking negative thoughts. These negative thoughts may involve possible
consequences of not doing well on the test, of self "put-downs," of thinking how they are doomed to fail, or of many other negative themes.
It is not just the negativism of these thoughts that reduces students chances of doing well on the test. In addition, they may spend 10 to 30
minutes out of a 50-minute test hour focusing on these negative thoughts. That leaves them only 20 to 40 minutes to focus on the content
of the test and search their memory for answers. Their classmates have the whole 50 minutes!
Control focus to "prime" and control your brain's search for memory associations. If you focus on the word "apple," your memory
naturally begins to search for related associations, such as the visual image of an apple and taste of an apple. If you focus on negative
themes, your memory will produce associated thoughts such as previous failures or terrible things that could happen if you don't do well.
Even prolonged debating with yourself to generate positive thoughts can interfere with "keeping your eye on the ball" in many performance
situations.
You control your brain's search and "priming" of content-related memories by controlling your focus of attention. If you direct your focus to
the actual content of the test, speech, or other performance, then your memory will naturally search for associations related to the
performance. You will recall the content necessary to answer the questions.
Refocus "on the ball" during a task to overcome anxiety. Use the following steps to overcome performance anxiety and maximize
concentration during the performance.
(1) Observe your focus. During the performance, let your Higher Self (or "inner observer") partly be alert to the occurrence of negative or
other interfering thoughts. Examples: "What will everyone think of me?" "What if I fail?" "This can't be happening to me." "Why can't I
remember this." "I worked so hard." "This is terrible." "I can't cope with this." "I don't know what to do." "I'm a failure." "That is so stupid."
"What's the matter with me."
(2) Refocus on the content. When you observe interfering thoughts occurring, remember the following:
These thoughts are interfering with your focus on the content and preventing success. You do not have time to deal with the underlying issues now; you can deal with them later. You can (optionally) repeat short pre-planned positive statements to yourself (see 3). Instead, focus your attention on any part of the actual content of the current task that will get you re-engaged in the immediate task. This new focus will even help you remember "forgotten" material that you couldn't recall when you were focusing on negative thoughts (because the new focus primes related memories).
(3) Later, examine underlying issues. At times outside the performance situation (or during breaks), examine the interfering thoughts.
What were the content and themes of the interfering thoughts? Work on this later
or with a counselor.
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INTERNET
LINKS
Specific
Test Anxiety and Performance Anxiety Help Links
CSULB=>
Focusing to Deal
with Performance and Test Anxiety
A quick technique for reducing test or performance anxiety immediately in the
actual performance situation.
Dr. Tom Stevens
www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/h87focus.htm#FOCUSING ON THE BALL CAN HELP US OVERCOME
CSULB=> Improve Comprehension and Memory for Better Grades
This guide has been used by hundreds of students to study more efficiently and improve their grades. It is especially for those who study hard, but don't do as well as they would like. Tom G. Stevens PhD, CAPS, CSULB
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/LEARN.htm
*** Self-Test: Are You "Test Anxious"?
Learning Skills Center; University of Texas - Austin
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/
*** How To Keep Calm During Tests
Learning Skills Center; University of Texas - Austin
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/
*** Test Anxiety Tips--Virginia Tech University Counseling
Center
http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/stresstestanxiety.php
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Help
with Anxiety Links
Go to our Anxiety links help page--especially
if you are having trouble with anxiety in other situations in your life.
BOOKS
& MEDIA
GO TO: book_sites.htm
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CSULB
REFERRALS
CSULB
Student Services
Counseling and
Psychological Services (CAPS)
CSULB students can obtain free counseling from licensed psychologists for almost
any type of personal problem including relationships and family problems;
stress, anxiety, depression, anger, grief; academic-related concerns; career
decision-making; crises; and almost any type of self-development issue. We
offer individual and group counseling, workshops, and self-help materials
including this web site. Brotman Hall, Room 226; 562-985-4001; web site: www.csulb.edu/~caps
CAPS also frequently offers special workshops
to help students overcome test anxiety or other types of performance
anxiety. Check our website above under academic success workshops for
times.
Other student services and
student organizations may also be helpful
Go to CSULB student information page for a comprehensive list of student services and activities
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