Test performance and reported anxiety levels of high and low test-anxious subjects taking either a regular exam or an exam containing brief, written relaxation instructions were compared. High test-anxious subjects performed more poorly and reported greater worry and emotionality. Results provide greater external validity for Test Anxiety Scale.…

This experiment compares the effects of group reactive inhibition therapy and group reciprocal inhibition therapy with no treatment on the anxiety level of test-anxious college students. Twenty undergraduate students volunteered for the study and were assigned to either the reactive inhibition group, the reciprocal inhibition group, or the…

After being given either achievement-orienting or neutral instructions, subjects waited for an undesignated period of time and then performed an intellective task. Evidence is presented supporting the hypothesis that highly anxious persons under stress experience cognitive interference and preoccupation that makes time pass slowly and results in…

To assess the effect of contextual stimuli on learning, a study was conducted to see if providing instruction to students in one setting and testing them in yet another setting had an effect on their recall. Twenty-eight college students were randomly divided into two groups, and both were exposed to a multimedia instructional presentation. Then,…

Three types of test bias are discussed: content bias, atmosphere bias, and use bias. Use bias is considered the most important. Tests reflect the bias in society, and eliminating test bias means eliminating racism and sexism in society. A six-stage model to eliminate racism and sexism is presented. (Author)

This study assessed the comparative effectiveness of cognitive, arousal reduction, and combined cognitive and arousal reduction treatments for test anxiety. Results indicated cognitive therapy was more effective in reducing anxiety in the analogue testing situation and improving grade point average than other treatment and control procedures.…

The Musical Aptitude Profile (MAP) and four levels of the Iowa Tests of Music Literacy (ITML) were administered to university non-music majors to investigate the use of the "in doubt" test item response. The "in doubt" response was not used indiscriminately by the university students on either test battery. (Author)

A breakdown in communication takes place when the receiver uses different relations when processing the data through the intellect. College on-trial students (N=53) were tested with the SAT battery and a significant difference was found between their performance on the mathematic and verbal sections. (Author)

At Georgia Southern College a study of faculty time expended in the master's oral examination in counseling revealed written tests could save 680 faculty hours at the 89 percent success rate (almost 50 hours per year). The oral could be retained as an option for some students. (Author)

Compared with high-test anxious students, those with low scores on both scales of the Achievement Anxiety Test were less anxious before a test, studied less for it, and got more sleep the night before. The pattern of results was congruent with expectations. (Author)

This study compared the effectiveness of systematic desensitization and the directed experience hypnotic technique in reducing self-reported test anxiety and increasing the academic performance of test-anxious undergraduates (N=36). The results are discussed as evidence for systematic desensitization as the more effective treatment in reducing…

Changes in self-concept as a function of behavioral treatment for test anxiety are investigated. Test-anxious subjects (N=72) were randomly assigned to systematic desensitization, relaxation-training only, or no-treatment control conditions. Results indicate that the desensitization and relaxation treatments were both effective in reducing test…

A Sex of Subject x Sex of Counselor interaction in the desensitization of test anxiety among 44 college students suggested consideration of the sex variable. Results showed significant treatment effects by both male and female counselors and a significant interaction effect by the male counselor with female subjects. (Author)

The present study hypothesized and found that test-anxious subjects can learn to redirect their attention to the task, and away from the internal stimulation resulting from anxiety. Observation of a model successfully coping with anxiety and subsequent role playing of such behavior produced the desired results. (Author/NG)

The study investigated levels of agreement among graduate students (n=14) and school psychologists (n=18) in scoring drawings for the 10 designs on the WPPSI Geometric Design subtest. Considerable scoring disagreement occurred within each group. Results suggest careful study of the WPPSI scoring criteria is needed to achieve scoring proficiency.…