Reducing Test Anxiety in High School Students

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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School-age test anxiety is an important risk factor for school performance. Notwithstanding, few studies seek to identify which strategies are effective in improving test anxiety. This study aimed to test whether a cognitive-behavioural intervention for high school students could significantly reduce test anxiety. A two-arm, cluster-randomized controlled, unblinded, parallel, trial was conducted. Participants were students of the 10th year of the Alves Martins High School in Viseu, Portugal. Students were randomized at class level to receive a cognitive-behavioural-based intervention combined with mindfulness, psychoeducation, and relaxation techniques, or to a control group with no intervention. Participants' anxiety levels were measured using the Test Anxiety Questionnaire. The analysis of the effect of the intervention was carried out on an intention-to-treat basis at the class level, using multilevel mixed effects models and Bayesian modelling.

Official Title
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Efficacy of a Cognitive Behavioural-based Intervention in Reducing Test Anxiety in High School Students: a Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Test Anxiety

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 10th grade students; both students and parents provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: cognitive inability to answer the questionnaire and/or to participate in the intervention
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention<br>Cognitive-behavioural-based intervention combined with mindfulness, psychoeducation, and relaxation techniques | Behavioral: Intervention<br>* Cognitive-behavioural-based intervention combined with mindfulness (attention focus), psychoeducation, and relaxation techniques (short version of Jacobson's progressive relaxation, breathing exercises)<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Care as usual | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Test anxiety | Participants' test anxiety will be assessed using the Test Anxiety Questionnaire. Scores on the questionnaire range from 10 to 50 points. Higher scores mean higher anxiety levels. | 12 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Worry | Participants' worry will be assessed using the Worry subscale (items 1-5) of the Test Anxiety Questionnaire. Scores on the questionnaire range from 5 to 25 points. Higher scores mean higher worry-related anxiety levels. | 12 weeks | 
| Emotionality | Participants' emotionality will be assessed using the Emotionality subscale (items 6-10) of the Test Anxiety Questionnaire. Scores on the questionnaire range from 5 to 25 points. Higher scores mean higher emotionality-related anxiety levels. | 12 weeks |