Test Anxiety-Ginnys Case

Test Anxiety-Ginnys Case

According to Hanfesa et al. (2020), anxiety is a state characterized by the presence of emotions of apprehension whereby tension and uncertainty arise because the individual anticipates a real or imagined threat. Therefore, test anxiety is when an individual appraises tests or other forms of performance-evaluative circumstances as threatening. Test anxiety triggers various physiological changes in a person’s body, including instant ones such as shortness of breath, nausea, headache, excessive sweating, feeling faint, and rapid heartbeat (Hanfesa et al., 2020). Other not-so-instant changes and long-term responses to test anxiety include depression, eating disorders, lack of sleep, triggered panic attacks, tearfulness, and self-harm or suicidal feelings.

Based on my research on test anxiety, I would advise Ginny to apply the emotional freedom technique (EFT) to reduce her test anxiety. EFT was developed by Gary Craig, who argued that negative emotions like anxiety are caused by disruption in the body. As such, Craig further argued that psychological acupressure or tapping can help create a balance in this disrupted energy. EFT uses the same technique as acupuncture and focuses on the meridian points, whereby one applies pressure using fingertip tapping. Blacher (2023) conducted a study that showed the emotional freedom technique reduced anxiety and stress for healthcare professionals during the coronavirus pandemic. A second recommendation I would make to Ginny is to use breathing exercises to reduce her anxiety. Breathing exercises stimulate the nervous system, which increases the oxygenation of the blood and leads to the release of endorphins (Isaac et al., 2023). Subsequently, endorphins decrease the heartbeat rate and bring a sense of calmness. In addition, endorphins suppress the production of cortisol, which is the stress hormone.

 References

Blacher, S. (2023). Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): Tap to relieve stress and burnout. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 30, 100599.

Hanfesa, S., Tilahun, T., Dessie, N., Shumet, S., & Salelew, E. (2020). Test anxiety and associated factors among first-year health science students of University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 817-824.

Issac, A., Nayak, S. G., Priyadarshini, T., Balakrishnan, D., Halemani, K., Mishra, P., & Stephen, S. (2023). Effectiveness of breathing exercise on the duration of labor: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Global Health, 13.

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Instructions
Test Anxiety
Ginny, 19, is studying hard for her final exams. She displays test anxiety every time she has an exam. She strongly believes that something wrong will happen, and she will be unable to answer the questions asked. Her classmates keep trying to console her by telling her that she has studied hard the entire year and is a bright student and that she does not have any reason to fear the test.

Find and review a research article (in a primary source scholarly journal) regarding test anxiety.
Answer the following questions:

When students view an exam, an evaluation, or a test as a threat, how might they respond? What physiological changes might the individual experience?
Based on your research on test anxiety, explain how you would advise Ginny to reduce her test anxiety.