How To Address Test Anxiety

Exam anxiety can cause students to “go blank,” become frustrated, or doubt their intellectual abilities.

This test anxiety booklet helps students and parents better understand exam anxiety and offers methods to help students cope with test anxiety and succeed in their courses. Students should read this booklet carefully, consider which aspects of test anxiety applies to them, then identify coping strategies that may help address the anxiety.

The booklet includes the following:

Part 1: Identifying test anxiety

Part 2: Think about thinking
-Realistic thinking for test anxiety
-Thinking traps & test anxiety

Part 3: Coping with test anxiety
-Realistic thinking & test anxiety form
-Helpful realistic thinking tips
-Dealing with physical tension to help test anxiety
-Reducing test anxiety
-Do’s and don’ts of dealing with test anxiety

Part 4: Tips for test success
-Test preparation tips
-Test taking tips

Part 5: How to study
-Time management: Planning your success
-How to study effectively

Ideally, parents would read this resource with their student and participate in the resulting discussion and identification of coping strategies. Remember that support from family members is always positive and will ultimately help students deal with their anxiety.