Test Anxiety: Children’s Experiences, Mechanisms of Change and Effective Intervention

Test anxiety describes the tendency to appraise performance-evaluative situations as threatening (Spielberger & Vagg, 1995).

It has long been associated with difficulties such as lower academic attainment (e.g. Putwain & Daly, 2013).

This thesis explores the concept of test anxiety, mechanisms of change and available interventions.

The literature review explores the impact of school-based interventions on reducing test anxiety in children and young people (aged 5-17 years).

A systematic search identified twelve relevant studies published within the last eight years, which were critiqued and rated for their Weight of Evidence (Gough, 2007).

Findings showed the interventions had a significant positive impact on test anxiety in nine of the studies.

The most successful outcomes occurred where children had higher levels of test anxiety and when the interventions involved a combination of methods that were underpinned by cognitive behavioural therapy principles.

The implications for educational psychology practice and future research needs are discussed.

The empirical paper explores the experiences of primary aged children with test anxiety and the mechanisms and maintenance of change following a targeted CBT-based intervention.

Semi-structured interviews took place with 17 children, across two UK primary schools, before, immediately after and at 2-months after the intervention.

Thematic analysis identified four themes relating to the children's experiences, four themes linked to the mechanisms of change (divided between a 'behavioural' and a 'cognitive' shift), and three themes related to the maintenance and generalisation of these changes.

The implications and recommendations for practice and future research needs are outlined.

This thesis has particular contemporary resonance following the publication of the government green paper on children's mental health (DoH & DfE, 2017).

This research comes at a time of change for the profession, which I hope will inspire debate and highlight on-going, prevalent concepts for discussion around mental health, future policy and practice.