1. Introduction and Purpose

Test anxiety refers to the overall set of negative reactions that individuals experience at the cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological levels during academic assessment processes. This condition, which is particularly common among high school seniors, manifests as inattention, negative self-evaluation, avoidance behaviors, and physical symptoms, and has negative effects on academic achievement and overall well-being.

This report aims to comprehensively present the content, process, and outcomes of the "Program for Coping with Test Anxiety," which was conducted with 8th-grade students at two different institutions. The project was designed and implemented as part of a social responsibility initiative led by a clinical psychologist within a hospital setting.

The project's main objectives are as follows:

• To significantly reduce test anxiety levels among 8th-grade students
• To equip students with practical skills they can use to manage anxiety
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention by conducting a pre-test–post-test comparison using the Westside Test Anxiety Scale
• To provide psychoeducation on the cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical aspects of anxiety
• To contribute to the expansion of preventive mental health services in school settings

2. Method

2.1. Sample

The study was conducted with a total of 35 eighth-grade students enrolled at two different schools. All of the students participated in the study voluntarily.

2.2. Measurement Tool

The Westside Test Anxiety Scale (WTAS) was used to determine the level of test anxiety. The scale was developed by Driscoll (2007); its adaptation into Turkish was carried out by Totan and Yavuz (2009).

Technical information regarding the scale:

• Number of articles: 11
• Response format: 5-point Likert scale (1 = Not at all appropriate — 5 = Completely appropriate)
• Score range: 11–55
• High scores → high test anxiety

2.3. Program Content and Implementation Process

The program consists of four stages:

3. Findings

3.1. Descriptive Statistics

Table 2 presents the descriptive statistics for the pretest and posttest scores of all participants (n = 35).

Table 2. Descriptive Statistics for the Pre-Test and Post-Test (n = 35)

3.2. Distribution of Changes in Individual Anxiety

When pre-test and post-test scores were compared, a decrease in anxiety levels was observed in 57.1% of the participants (n = 20), no change was observed in 28.6% (n = 10), and an increase was observed in 14.3% (n = 5).

Table 3. Distribution of Changes in Test Anxiety (n = 35)

3.3. Change in Average Score

Grup genelinde ön test puan ortalaması X̄ = 29.94 iken son test puan ortalaması X̄ = 26.86 olarak belirlenmiştir. Ortalama puan değişimi 3.09 puan düzeyinde azalma yönünde gerçekleşmiştir. Bağımlı örneklem t-testi analizi sonucunda hesaplanan t istatistiği t(34) = 3.082 olarak bulunmuş olup bu değer, uygulamanın istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı olabileceğine işaret etmektedir (p < .05).

3.4. Individual Pre-Test–Post-Test Scores

Table 4 presents the individual pretest and posttest scores, as well as the difference values, for all participants.

Table 4. Individual Pre-Test–Post-Test Scores (n = 35)

4. Discussion and Evaluation

4.1. General Assessment

An analysis of the study findings reveals that test anxiety levels decreased significantly among a substantial proportion of students at both institutions. The 3.09-point decrease in the group average demonstrates that even this single-session intervention—comprising psychoeducation and applied techniques—had a measurable effect. Among the students who showed a decrease in anxiety levels, the most pronounced decline was observed in the participant named M.A., whose pre-test score dropped from 35 to 11 on the post-test (-24 points). This finding suggests that the program may be particularly effective for individuals with high levels of anxiety.

4.2. Students Whose Anxiety Levels Remain Unchanged

For 10 students, pre-test and post-test scores remained the same. It is believed that anxiety in these students may be linked to persistent and multidimensional factors (family pressure, academic performance anxiety, learned helplessness, etc.). It is recommended that individualized psychological support and longer-term group sessions be planned for these students.

4.3. Students with Increasing Anxiety

It was observed that the final test scores of five students had increased. When evaluating the possible reasons for this, it was noted in the clinician’s observations that the five participants whose scores increased did not participate sufficiently in the practical components of the intervention. It is believed that the increase observed in these participants was due not to the program’s ineffectiveness, but to insufficient exposure to the intervention.

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

This study demonstrates that a combination of psychoeducation and evidence-based techniques, administered to a total of 35 students at two different institutions, is an effective and feasible intervention for reducing test anxiety. Despite its single-session format, the fact that a statistically significant reduction was achieved in the group average supports the program’s preventive function.

The following recommendations are offered for the next steps:

• Individual psychological counseling sessions should be scheduled for students whose anxiety levels remain the same or increase.
• The program may yield stronger and more lasting results when implemented well in advance of the exam period (at least 8–10 weeks beforehand).
• Consideration should be given to repeating the program in a multi-session format in collaboration with school counselors.

This study presents a concrete model for expanding school-based preventive mental health services.

6. References

• • Driscoll, R. (2007). Validation of the Westside Test Anxiety Scale. Education Resources Information Center (ERIC). ED 495 968.
• • Totan, T., & Yavuz, Y. (2009). A study on the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Westside Test Anxiety Scale. Journal of the Faculty of Education, Pamukkale University, 25, 167–178.