Andrea Flores

Professor Grace Apiafi ​

HED 004

February 26, 2023

Project 3

Test anxiety is a very common thing, in fact, it affects anywhere between 25% to 40% of

college students according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (Hanfesa, S.,

Tilahun, T., Dessie, N., Shumet, S., & Salelew, E.). Test anxiety is anxiety that is tied to test

taking. It can have all the usual symptoms of anxiety but in these cases, it tends to hinder one’s

ability to perform well on exams. This is exactly what Katya is experiencing. She has a 3.0 GPA

and studies meticulously. However, before she takes any tests she experiences anxiety and begins

to think all her hard work was in vain. She needs to do well on her chemistry exam or she will

lose her scholarship. With this added pressure her test anxiety is at an all-time high and Katya

had a panic attack while trying to study. She has two days before the exam and she needs some

assistance with her test anxiety.

Anxiety is rapidly becoming more common in our society, with a little over 19 percent of

people in the United States having an anxiety disorder (Anxiety Disorders). I was diagnosed with

anxiety in 2019 so I know firsthand how crippling it can feel in the moment. I have general

anxiety but I also noticed “flare-ups” before a big exam. Sometimes these flare-ups happened

before a routine vocabulary test that I had been prepping for all week. I tend to second guess

myself, wonder if I studied enough, or convince myself that I failed the exam when I was able to
answer the questions with ease. What helped me a lot was taking therapy. I met with my therapist

once a week where we discussed coping mechanisms, talked about what was causing my

anxieties, and we worked on building a support system that I felt I could count on. My support

system was my family for the most part but as I progressed in therapy and grew my emotional

intelligence I felt safe adding friends into my system.

My first recommendation for Katya would be to seek out a therapist. Anxiety can be a

short-term thing but more often than not the moment you encounter a trigger it will return. A

therapist can help her find long-term solutions. A trained professional can help her address not

only the symptoms of test anxiety but also any underlining issues she may be working with. It

does a world of wonder to hear a trained professional validate your feelings and tell you that

what you are experiencing is normal. Most colleges have a counseling center that has someone

she can talk to or a health center that can point her in the right direction.

However, with her test in two days, I would recommend she learn some breathing

techniques. A small study of 34 college students was conducted, the goal of this study was to see

if respiratory biofeedback could help reduce anxiety instantly. There were three groups but of the

three only the group receiving biofeedback “reported a significant reduction in Test Anxiety

symptoms (p's < 0.05)” (Rosenberg, A., & Hamiel, D). Not only that there was a decrease in

general anxiety symptoms and depression but also an “increase in psychological well-being

(p's < 0.05)” (Rosenberg, A., & Hamiel, D). Biofeedback is a technic where one learns to control

certain bodily functions, such as in this case one’s breathing. My favorite breathing technique

was the 4-5-7 technique. You breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and

slowly exhale for 7 seconds. This triggers the parasympathetic system and the vagus nerve which
helps one calm down almost instantly. This is a simple technique Katya can do at any time,

including during the exam.

My third recommendation would be to build a support system. A group of people she

feels will respect her and prioritize her feelings when needed. This can be Katya’s parents,

partner, roommate, or friends. A study conducted in China during the Covid-19 pandemic looked

into how social support helps reduce anxiety. The study found that “ Anxiety was significantly

and negatively related to coping and social support” (Li, Y & Peng, J). This tells me that Katya

would benefit a lot from having a support system. If she begins to see a therapist or counselor

they too can be part of her support system. Having someone you can turn to when you are

overwhelmed is very helpful and calming. Perhaps someone in her support system can help her

study so she does not feel so alone.

Lastly, a long-term recommendation I would give her was to work on her overall

self-confidence. One of Katya’s main fears is that her efforts are worthless. I believe this comes

from low self-esteem. In 2022 a study was conducted with 673 college students. The point of the

study was to determine if there was any relationship between one’s interpersonal trust and

anxiety. The study found that there was a “significant negative correlation with self-esteem (r =

-0.17, p< 0.01) and with social anxiety (r = -0.26, p< 0.01). (He, X). To build confidence in

herself she should work on making more decisions for herself. I struggle with the same thing so

my therapist told me to start acknowledging the decisions I already made. She should focus on

what she picked for lunch. Was that a good decision? If it did not make her sick and filled her up

then yes. What shoes did she choose to wear today? Did they serve their purpose? If yes then it

was a good decision. Once she is secure in all the decisions she makes without thinking she

should begin to work on more conscious decisions. Chose to join a club. Chose to put your hand
up in class. Chose to study instead of going out. Once Katya realizes her decisions are good ones

she will begin to develop more confidence which will translate well into exams.

In conclusion, Katya is a good student struggling with test anxiety. With her scholarship

dependent on her upcoming chemistry exam she is experiencing panic attacks. From personal

experience, I find that therapy is a great help. For a quicker, short-term fix I would recommend

she learn the 4-5-7 breathing technique to help ease her anxiety. A support system would also be

a great way to help her feel supported and keep her from feeling alone. I would also recommend

Katya begin to make more decisions to help her build confidence in her decision abilities so she

does not doubt her abilities during her exam. With all these things I think Katya will experience

less test anxiety and will find that next semester will be much smoother.
Bibliography

“Anxiety Disorders.” NAMI,

https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Anxiety-Disorders.

Hanfesa, S., Tilahun, T., Dessie, N., Shumet, S., & Salelew, E. (2020). Test Anxiety and

Associated Factors Among First-Year Health Science Students of University of Gondar,

Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Advances in medical education and practice, 11,

817–824. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S275490

He, X. (2022). Relationship between Self-Esteem, Interpersonal Trust, and Social Anxiety of

College Students. Occupational Therapy International, 2022, 8088754.

https://doi-org.ezp.pasadena.edu/10.1155/2022/8088754

Li, Y., & Peng, J. (2021). Does social support matter? The mediating links with coping strategy

and anxiety among Chinese college students in a cross-sectional study of COVID-19 pandemic.

BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1298. https://doi-org.ezp.pasadena.edu/10.1186/s12889-021-11332-4

Rosenberg, A., & Hamiel, D. (2021). Reducing Test Anxiety and Related Symptoms Using a

Biofeedback Respiratory Practice Device: A Randomized Control Trial. Applied

Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 46(1), 69–82.

https://doi-org.ezp.pasadena.edu/10.1007/s10484-020-09494-9