Reducing Test Anxiety to Increase Academic Performance through Novel Breathing Techniques and Digital Visualization

Overview

Objectives/Goals The goal of this project is to identify if high school students face test-taking anxiety and the best way to curb test-taking anxiety. Methods/Materials First, I identified if students have test-taking anxiety using statistical analysis through an online questionnaire comprised of 16 questions. Second, I established different experimental methods for curbing test-taking anxiety. The three different methods experimented with were: Deep Breathing, Patterned Alternate Breathing, and Digital Visualization. Results This study determined that a significant portion of high school students face test-taking anxiety. Overall, 41% of the 203 subjects studied had test-taking anxiety. Females at the age of 16 had the highest rate of test-taking anxiety at 67%. There were multiple countries studied. From this, USA had the greatest number of subjects facing test-taking anxiety and there was a large disparity between female and male test-taking anxiety level. However, in Malaysia, both males and females face almost the same amount of test-taking anxiety. Conclusions/Discussion My results have concluded that the portion of high school students facing test-taking anxiety is significant enough that it needs to be addressed in schools. The best method for curbing test-taking anxiety out of the three experimented with was Digital Visualization, however, all the three methods worked to reduce test-taking anxiety in every student. Digital Visualization was the best method because more senses are being tapped into to divert the brain from anxiety and into the relaxation exercise.

Awards (1)

• Honorable Mention

Competition history

• CSEF 2018 Behavioral & Social Sciences · Entry S0418

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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