The Causes of Test Anxiety and Academic Stress

The Causes of Test Anxiety and Academic Stress Student Resources Print Causes of Test Anxiety and Academic Stress By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on February 09, 2020 Paul Bradbury / Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers If you deal with test anxiety, you know how stressful it can be. You might feel alone, like youre the only one who has this issue, but test anxiety is actually quite common. Nervousness and anxiety are perfectly normal reactions to stress. However, for some people, this fear can become so intense that it actually interferes with their ability to perform well on a test. So what causes test anxiety? For many students, it can be a combination of things. Bad study habits, poor past test performance, and underlying anxiety problems can all contribute to test anxiety.?? Biological Causes In stressful situations, such as before and during an exam, the body releases a hormone called adrenaline. This helps prepare the body to deal with what is about to happen and is commonly referred to as the fight-or-flight response. Essentially, this response prepares you to either stay and deal with the stress or escape the situation entirely. In a lot of cases, this adrenaline rush is actually a good thing. It helps prepare you to deal effectively with stressful situations, ensuring that you are alert and ready. For some people, however, the symptoms of anxiety they feel can become so excessive that it makes it difficult or even impossible to focus on the test. Symptoms such as nausea, sweating, and shaking hands can actually make people feel even more nervous, especially if they become preoccupied with test anxiety symptoms. Mental Causes In addition to the underlying biological causes of anxiety, there are many mental factors that can play a role in test anxiety. Student expectations are one major mental cause. For example, if a student believes that she will perform poorly on an exam, she is far more likely to become anxious before and during a test. Test anxiety can also become a vicious cycle. After repeatedly enduring test anxiety, students may begin to feel helpless to change their situation. After experiencing anxiety during one exam, students may become so fearful about it happening again that they actually become even more anxious during the next exam. How to Minimize Test Anxiety So what exactly can you do to prevent or minimize test anxiety? Here are some strategies to help: Make sure youre prepared.  That means studying for the test until you feel comfortable with the material. Dont wait until the night before. If you arent sure how to study, ask a teacher or parent for help. Being prepared will boost your confidence, which will lessen your test anxiety.Banish the negative thoughts.  If you start to have anxious or defeated thoughts, such as Im not good enough, I didnt study hard enough, or I cant do this, push those thoughts away and replace them with positive thoughts. I can do this, I know the material, and I studied hard, can go far in helping to manage your stress level when taking a test.Get enough sleep.  A good nights sleep will help  your concentration and memory.Take deep breaths.  If you start to feel anxious while youre taking your test, breathe deeply, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Work through each question or problem one at a time, taking a deep breath in between each one as needed. Making sure you are giving your lungs plenty of oxygen can help your focus and sense of calm.Avoid the perfectionist trap.  Dont expect to be perfect. We all make mistakes and thats okay. Knowing youve done your best and worked hard is really all that matters, not perfection. How to Overcome Perfectionism