Tips for Beating Test Anxiety
Study strategies and coping skills transform attitudes
By Rachel Ehmke
Article provided by Child Mind Institute
W
hen athletes are called upon to perform on top of that I’m going to have a lot more difficulty,”
in high-pressure situations many of them notes Dr. Schuster.
describe having peaked senses that they
use to their advantage. They’re able to quiet their
minds, zone out the audience, and make the catch. Kids
with test anxiety have the opposite reaction.
“Anxiety also has the potential to shut you down,”
explains neuropsychologist Ken Schuster. “When kids
are having test anxiety they can’t think clearly, they
can’t judge things the way they could if they weren’t
anxious. All of your other abilities get clouded up by
anxiety.”
Why some kids get test anxiety
There are a number of different reasons why some kids
might be more susceptible to anxiety. Test anxiety often
goes hand-in-hand with learning issues. Children who
have ADHD or a learning disability are often already
feeling anxious about school, and when it’s time to take
a test that sense can be heightened. “If I have ADHD
and I am prone to inattention, if I start feeling anxious
10 | V O L U S I A parent M A G A Z I N E
Likewise, when a student has a limited amount of time
to take a test and knows that he processes things slowly,
he’s probably going to start feeling anxious.
Kids worried that they won’t do well, for whatever
reason, are prone to more anxiety. Kids with an anxious
temperament who worry about making mistakes or
performing in general—from singing in music class to
going up to bat at baseball—tend to feel more test
anxiety. Kids who believe that they won’t do as well
in a particular subject—like girls influenced by the
stereotype that boys are better at math—may also be
more prone to test anxiety in that subject.
Feeling more confident
The common denominator is that if you think you
aren’t going to do well, you’re going to feel more
anxious going in. “What I have seen when I work with
kids who have test anxiety is they tend to say, ‘I’m so
stupid,’ ” says psychologist Matt Cruger. “That can’t be