EFFECTS OF A RELAXATION TREATMENT AND AGE ON TEST-ANXIOUS STUDENTS.
Contributors: University of South Florida.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 118
Subjects: Education, Adult and Continuing.; Education, Vocational.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Educational Psychology.
Description: This study was conducted to determine the effect of a relaxation treatment on the level of test anxiety, the level of test performance, and the relationship of age to these levels. The sample consisted of a total of 126 practical nursing students in a post-secondary vocational-technical center. They were adult students ranging in age from 17 to 58 years of age. The dependent variables were (a) test anxiety as measured by Spielberger's Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), titled Test Attitude Inventory on the student version; and (b) test performance as measured by scores on Medical-Surgical Nursing comprehension tests, each of which consisted of a Medical-Surgical theory test and a pharmacology test.

In this quasi-experimental study design, seven intact class sections were used. Participation was voluntary with the percentage of participation ranging across classes from 38 to 100%. Scores on the pretreatment TAI and on the pretreatment Medical-Surgical Nursing comprehension tests served as the control condition. Posttreatment scores on those same instruments represented the experimental condition. The relaxation treatment consisted of a composite of several techniques including muscle tensing and relaxing, imagery, and softly-played baroque-style music.

The experiment was conducted in seven separate class sections, each having its own teacher who administered the treatment. A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) examined differences among teachers' classes. These data reflected a difference on theory test scores, but no difference on TAI scores or on pharmacology test scores.

Data were analyzed using correlation analyses, repeated measures analysis of variance, and hierarchical regression analyses. Statistical significance was set at p $<$.05. Results included: (a) subjects reported lower levels of test anxiety after the relaxation treatment, (b) level of performance on a test was improved after the relaxation treatment, (c) there was no relationship between age and level of test anxiety, (d) no significant relationship was seen between age and scores on the pharmacology tests, and (e) a significant relationship was seen between age and scores on the theory tests.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-05, Section: A, page: 1169.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, 1994.

School code: 0206.