Reducing Test Anxiety in High School Students

NCT05481099 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Anxiety-2020
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 519
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

School-age test anxiety is an important risk factor for school performance. Notwithstanding, few studies seek to identify which strategies are effective in improving test anxiety. This study aimed to test whether a cognitive-behavioural intervention for high school students could significantly reduce test anxiety. A two-arm, cluster-randomized controlled, unblinded, parallel, trial was conducted. Participants were students of the 10th year of the Alves Martins High School in Viseu, Portugal. Students were randomized at class level to receive a cognitive-behavioural-based intervention combined with mindfulness, psychoeducation, and relaxation techniques, or to a control group with no intervention. Participants' anxiety levels were measured using the Test Anxiety Questionnaire. The analysis of the effect of the intervention was carried out on an intention-to-treat basis at the class level, using multilevel mixed effects models and Bayesian modelling.

Conditions

Test Anxiety

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Test anxiety

  Participants' test anxiety will be assessed using the Test Anxiety Questionnaire. Scores on the questionnaire range from 10 to 50 points. Higher scores mean higher anxiety levels.

  12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Worry

  12 weeks

• Emotionality

  12 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Cognitive-behavioural-based intervention combined with mindfulness, psychoeducation, and relaxation techniques

Behavioral: Intervention

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Care as usual

Interventions

Intervention BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive-behavioural-based intervention combined with mindfulness (attention focus), psychoeducation, and relaxation techniques (short version of Jacobson's progressive relaxation, breathing exercises)

Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• th grade students; both students and parents provide written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• cognitive inability to answer the questionnaire and/or to participate in the intervention

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Agrupamento de Centros de Saúde de Dão Lafões: lead
• Casa de Saúde São Mateus - Hospital: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Alves Martins High School

Viseu, Portugal

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Lopes D, Ferrao A, Matanca AF, Almeida C, Rosario F, Santos J, Santos MI. [A Cognitive Behavioural-Based Intervention in Reducing Test Anxiety in High School Students: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial]. Acta Med Port. 2024 Feb 5;37(3):163-171. doi: 10.20344/amp.18876. Epub 2023 Mar 20. Portuguese.

  PMID: 36939679 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Methods

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Investigative Techniques

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Head of Research Department

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 27, 2022
• First Posted: August 1, 2022
• Study Start: December 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: March 10, 2020
• Study Completion: March 10, 2020
• Last Updated: August 1, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PT (1)