Controlling Your Test Anxiety Barbara Eckenfels, MS Juan Lebron, Ed.S TEAM Division Counselors Montgomery College

Why Do I Have Math Test Anxiety? Past failures come to haunt you! Lowered self-confidence Attitude need adjusting? Lack of preparation?

What Comes First! You need an attitude adjustment! You can do math and you must believe it! You must commit to doing what it takes to pass math! (More lab and study time! Control Test Anxiety). Math is required in all BS/BA programs! If you follow the “How to be Successful in Math” tips, you WILL Succeed.

Disarm the Power of Tests! Grades are NOT: A measure of intelligence A measure of creativity An indication of how you will contribute to society A measure of what you have accomplished A MEASURE OF YOUR SELF-WORTH!

Grades Are: A measure of what you scored on a particular day or days. An Indication of what your professor feels is important. Powerful enough to cause a delay or adjustment in reaching your goals, but not powerful enough to stop you forever!

What is Test Anxiety? It is the worry caused by having to take a test. You may experience: butterflies in your stomach Anxiety Sweating Nausea Loss of concentration or “blanking out” Lower grades on tests than daily work

The “Flight or Fight Response” The automatic stress response dates back to prehistoric times – for survival. We cannot differentiate between a perceived physical threat and a psychological threat.

Physiological Response to a Physical or Emotional Threat Hormones are elevated during the stress response ~ cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine are released into the bloodstream. Anxiety or stress response occurs!

What are Other Causes of Test Anxiety? Pressure to succeed Fear of failure Need to make all “A’s” Irrational and/or negative thinking

Who is Affected by Test Anxiety? Everyone experiences some test anxiety, but there are generally two types of students: Those who see testing as a challenge and a chance to show the instructor what they know. Those who view testing as a threat. They may have experienced past failures.

How can you eliminate Test Anxiety?

Tips for Reducing Test Anxiety Be prepared! Study, study, study….. Get plenty of rest the night before Eat properly the day of the exam Do not arrive early or late to the exam Avoid last minute studying Avoid listening or discussing the test while you are waiting to take the test. Don’t forget to breathe!

Tips continued: Replace negative thoughts, with positive thoughts while taking deep breaths and doing relaxation exercises—we will practice this! Don’t worry and get “bogged down” with questions you don’t know. REMEMBER WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS SEMINAR AND USE IT!!!

Three Factors to Successful Test Taking

This is not TRUE test anxiety Preparation Your knowledge and preparation are basic to doing well. You may panic in the test due to incomplete knowledge or from not having studied enough. This is not TRUE test anxiety

Test Taking Skills Familiarity with test taking formats and the development of good test taking strategies are essential to your academic success!

Emotional State Your emotional state affects your ability to test well. It takes a calm and controlled emotional state for your memory and judgment to work most effectively.

Conquering Test Anxiety by Learning Relaxation Techniques You cannot be relaxed and anxious at the same time! Control the “Flight or Fight “ Response: Deep Breathing Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Practice) Choose a word to link to the relaxation exercises. Mental Imagery Systematic Desensitization

Progressive Relaxation Exercises: Breathe! Take a deep breath, hold for 5 seconds. At the same time, tense the muscles in your face and neck. Now slowly exhale and relax these muscles. Take another deep breath, hold for 5 seconds and at the same time tense the muscles in your shoulders and arms. Slowly exhale, relaxing these muscles Continue through the following muscle groups: Chest and lungs Stomach area Hips, legs & feet Pay attention to how you feel while doing this exercise. You should begin to feel your body relax

Control Negative Thinking You can control what you think!! Control negative thinking: self-defeating statements can become “self-fulfilling prophecies”. Awareness: Identify your own pattern of negative statements Consequences: Note the consequences. Take the statement: “If I blow this test, it’s my whole career, my whole life.” NOT!! CHANGE TO: “If I continue to think about my life right now, I won’t have time to concentrate on this test.” Rebuttal: Now, challenge your original statement. These statements are NOT absolute, predictable truths!

Reverse Negative Thinking Begin to Develop positive self-statements: “I CAN do well on this test.” “I studied hard and Know this material.” “I’m smart and will succeed no matter what!”

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Practice Close your eyes and listen as I talk you through the sequence of tensing and relaxing your different muscle groups. Choose a Relaxation Word to use as you relax your muscles and exhale Get comfortable, close your eyes….

Mental Imagery Practice Relax, take several deep breaths and listen…..

Systematic Desensitization Work mentally through a hierarchy of least anxiety producing situations to the worse anxiety situations. Use your relaxation techniques while vividly imaging the least anxiety producing situation on your hierarchy list. Keep practicing until you are relaxed. Go to the next level. (See handout)

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! The skills you need to conquer Test Anxiety will not be acquired overnight! If you believe you CAN do it, then you CAN!