Test Anxiety Treatment & Diagnostic Considerations

Posted by in Test Anxiety When considering treatment for test-taking anxiety, make sure that you have a comprehensive diagnostic assessment to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.  Not all cases of test anxiety are alike, and sometimes symptoms of test anxiety actually reflect a separate, underlying condition.  If you’re located in South Florida (Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, & Miami), I would be happy to meet with you to conduct an assessment of your symptoms and provide treatment (if appropriate). Regardless of where you live, here is a short list of factors to consider when getting help for your symptoms: Test Anxiety Diagnosis & Treatment Strategies 1. Don’t assume that just because you have test anxiety that the problem is only test anxiety. Test performance issues may also have an independent panic component. If the panic component is ignored or left unaddressed, treatment is likely to fail. 2. The very characteristics that make some individuals successful can serve as liabilities for others. Characteristics like perfectionism and other obsessive-compulsive traits can be associated with pathological doubt, which can induce panic attacks, increase test-taking time, and lead to procrastination and avoidance of essential test preparation. If this is the case, the most effective treatment would address these characteristics, not the test anxiety itself. 3. In the case of certifications or other high stakes situations that allow multiple pass attempts, work on your test anxiety prior to your first examination. Apply Ben Franklin’s famous adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Previous examination failures can undermine (or decimate!) your confidence and make the situation into more of an uphill battle than it needs to be. If you have already failed your examination, make sure that treatment addresses any failure-related thoughts you might be experiencing. 4. The most evidence-based treatment for the above issues (test anxiety, panic, OCD traits) is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can also address any related depressive symptoms. Do not select a provider who practices in a different modality–go with the research evidence. Some providers may supplement CBT with mindfulness (which can be a nice adjunct), but mindfulness should not be the core of treatment. 5. Expanding on the previous idea, not all cognitive behavioral therapists are alike. Find a therapist who actually utilizes both cognitive AND behavioral interventions to treat your test-related anxiety. In addition to the cognitive therapy...
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Test Anxiety & Test-taking Anxiety Myths

Posted by in Test Anxiety Although most of us (at one point or another) have experienced significant fear, uncertainty, or dread about an upcoming examination or evaluation, oftentimes these milestones pass without incident. We get scared, our hearts race, and we ultimately live to fight another day. For millions of Americans, however, test anxiety poses potentially serious, life-altering problems that can indelibly change the trajectory of one’s career, permanently limit one’s options, and ravage one’s self-confidence. Let’s dispel some common myths about test-taking anxiety. These myths are derived from actual (mis)statements people have made to me in my South Florida (Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, & Miami) psychological practice. Test Anxiety Myths Myth #1. Test anxiety is only a problem for students (i.e., once you’re out of school, test anxiety is irrelevant). FALSE. Although test anxiety has been estimated to affect up to 25% of school-aged children and adolescents (Hill & Wigfield, 1984) and 15-20% of college-aged students (Hill & Wigfield, 1984; Eysenck & Rachman, 1965), non-students are not immune to its effects. In fact, test anxiety can actually manifest some of its most devastating consequences after you graduate. Many professionals in the medical, legal, scientific, and other communities know this firsthand. In truth, many untreated anxious test-takers give up desired career opportunities for less evaluatively-laden roads that are more easily traveled. Other individuals pursue their chosen career paths, but they ultimately find it difficult to advance in their professions. They may struggle with important interviews that might lead to career advancement, or they may fail mandatory exams (e.g., bar exams, licensing exams). In addition to professional embarrassment, these failures can leave lasting personal scars. Myth #2. Test-taking anxiety doesn’t affect smart people. FALSE. Brilliant individuals can have test-taking anxiety too. It is true, however, that individuals with test anxiety are at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to their non-anxious peers. In a review, Hembree (1988) found that test anxiety reduced academic performance at every educational level. Chapell et al. (2005) suggested that overall, about 2/3 of low-test-anxious students would be predicted to have higher test scores than your typical high-test-anxious individual.  Clearly, in today’s competitive landscape, untreated test anxiety can be a liability that hinders success. Myth #3. Test anxiety is an individual problem that requires an individual solution. FALSE. Although treatment for test anxiety is often conducted individually, many benefit from group-based treatments. Behaviorally-based...
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