A Randomized Controlled Trial of Acceptance-Based Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Therapy for Test Anxiety: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Many university students suffer from test anxiety that is severe enough to impair performance. Given mixed efficacy results of previous cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) trials and a theoretically driven rationale, an acceptance-based behavior therapy (ABBT) approach was compared to traditional CBT (i.e., Beckian cognitive therapy; CT) for the treatment of test anxiety. In this pilot study, 16 university students with test anxiety were randomly assigned to receive either a CT or ABBT 2-hr group workshop. The two treatments produced markedly different effects on test performance (measured by exam scores), with those receiving ABBT experiencing improvements in performance, whereas those receiving CT exhibited reduced performance. In addition, there was a suggestion that ABBT might have been more effective at reducing subjectively experienced test anxiety (i.e., a nonsignificant but medium-sized group by time interaction effect). Implications of these results for the treatment of test anxiety and for theoretical notions related to cognitive change strategies are discussed.

An examination of the self-referent executive processing model of test anxiety: control, emotional regulation, self-handicapping, and examination performance

“…In line with the S-REF model, thought suppression is positively associated with test anxiety (Rost and Schermer 1997) and the anxiety associated with an evaluated speech task (Egloff et al 2006). Although studies have yet to establish empirical relations between reappraisal and test anxiety, cognitive restructuring is viewed as a credible site of intervention for reducing test anxiety (Brown et al 2011) and following Gross' (1998) model might be expected to be related to lower test anxiety. In the abovementioned speech task, reappraisal was negatively associated with speaking anxiety (Egloff et al 2006).…”

Study of Test Anxiety of Freshmen Engineering Boys and Girls Students and their Academic Performance in Science & Humanities Subjects

“…Also the results this research is the same as [32] that showed student that used of higher learning method experience more academic achievement than students that used of low learning methods. [33] in every two self study discovered significant and positive relation between academic achievement and profound methods. In research [34] mind review method negatively and supervision in subject perception positively were predictor of academic achievement.…”

Test anxiety in school-age children: An examination of a national epidemic

“…Instead of teaching people suffering from depression or anxiety to change negative thoughts and emotions, ABBT encourages them to accept these feelings. Although little research currently exists on ABBT, Brown et al (2011) found it to be more effective than CT at improving test scores.…”

“…Once the patterns are identified, they can look at their reactions objectively and learn to reduce them in the future (Beck & Alford, 2009). For people with test anxiety, CT helps them recognise that failure is not unavoidable and the consequences of the test are not as monumental as they may think (Brown et al, 2011). CT also contains a behavioural component that helps to change focus from past failures and negative experiences to past successes (Beck & Alford, 2009).…”

“…CT also contains a behavioural component that helps to change focus from past failures and negative experiences to past successes (Beck & Alford, 2009). Some research has indicated that full CT is no more effective than the use of the behavioural aspects alone (Beck & Alford, 2009;Brown et al, 2011). A new alternative to CT is acceptance-based behaviour therapy (ABBT).…”