“Tackling Test Anxiety”: A Group for College Students

Abstract

Abstract Test anxiety is ubiquitous on college campuses and negatively impacts academic progress as well as overall mental and physical health. Some students develop test anxiety due to poor study skills, while others experience debilitating anxiety despite adequate preparation. In this article, a session-by-session description of a 4-week group intervention designed to address the heterogeneous nature of test anxiety is presented. Cognitive-behavioral anxiety management techniques, along with study and test-taking skills, are taught in the context of a supportive group environment such that students learn skills to manage their test anxiety while realizing that they are not alone in their struggles. Keywords: cognitive-behavioralcollege studentsgroup therapytest anxiety Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge Christine Chang for her input regarding the group protocol. Additional informationNotes on contributorsDiana E. Damer Diana E. Damer, Ph.D., is the Program Director for Group Services and Anxiety Disorder Specialist at the Counseling and Mental Health Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Lauren T. Melendres Lauren T. Melendres, M.A., is a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin currently completing her pre-doctoral internship at James J. Peters VA Medical Center.