Test Anxiety in Children

Taking a test is nerve-wracking, but test anxiety in children can feel crippling and make it impossible to concentrate. While there are many test anxiety strategies children can practice to make the experience more manageable, it’s important to understand why test anxiety happens and what symptoms might manifest.

What is Test Anxiety?

Text anxiety is a type of performance anxiety that occurs before, during, or after taking an exam [*]. When children experience test anxiety, they feel extreme pressure to succeed, which may interfere with how they perform academically.

While test anxiety isn’t a disorder, it is often diagnosed alongside other anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, or a specific phobia.

What Causes Test Anxiety in Children?

Children may experience test anxiety as a result of multiple causes, such as poor study habits, perfectionism, or an underlying anxiety problem. Potential significant causes of test anxiety might include the following:

• Biology: In stressful situations, the body releases adrenaline, a hormone and neurotransmitter that triggers the fight-or-flight response [*]. In many cases, adrenaline can motivate a child to be more prepared for an exam. However, it can quickly become debilitating and make it impossible to focus.
• Mental issues: Mental factors that can cause test anxiety in children include student expectations. For instance, if a child feels unprepared for a test, it might make them more anxious. If they don’t acknowledge the behavior, students may feel test anxiety more chronically and develop learned helplessness—the fear that they have no power to change the situation.
• Poor testing history: If your child has a long history of performing poorly on tests due to unpreparedness or anxiety, they are more likely to experience test anxiety in future exams.
• Other types of anxiety: Children who experience other types of anxiety may develop test anxiety. Separation anxiety, for instance, can cause test anxiety because it creates a sense of uncertainty.

Children are also more likely to develop test anxiety if they are diagnosed with a learning disability like dyslexia, or have attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).

What are the Signs of Test Anxiety in Children?

The signs of test anxiety in children can range from mild to severe, with many children still able to do well on exams. However, some children become wholly incapacitated by test anxiety and display the following symptoms:

Physical symptoms:

• Sweating
  
• Shaking
  
• Rapid heart rate
  
• Dry mouth
  
• Fainting
  
• Nausea and vomiting
  
• “Butterflies” in the stomach
  

Behavioral symptoms:

• Skipping class
  
• Task avoidance
  
• Rapid speech and fumbling words
  
• Failure to complete tasks
  

Cognitive symptoms:

• Catastrophic or negative thinking
  
• Difficulty concentrating
  
• Memory problems
  
• Racing thoughts
  

How to Help a Child Manage Test Anxiety

Not all stress is bad, and it can empower your child to know and understand this. If your child’s stress and anxiety are getting in the way of how they perform during exams, there are many ways you can provide support. Here are some test anxiety tips you can implement for your child.

Understand the test format and material

Equip your child with study strategies like understanding the test format and material. Knowing what format the test will be presented in keeps kids from feeling unprepared or shocked when they receive their exam.

Consider whether the test will be in multiple-choice, essay, fill-in-the-blank, or a combination of these formats, and try practice tests. Depending on the exam’s material, get your child to reorganize their knowledge.

For instance, if your child’s exam covers a historical period, try listing the main ideas and outlining significant events. Think about the themes that unite them. Find creative ways to connect each point.

Practice possible questions

While your child can’t anticipate every question that may appear on a test, practicing possible questions can make them feel more prepared and confident. Ask your child to consider what they’ve learned in class and how the information might be presented in the form of a question.

Research shows that being prepared can help a child feel more confident when taking a test and lessen their anxiety [*].

Practice calming techniques

Even after ample studying and preparation, some kids will still feel anxious going into the exam. In this case, it will help to develop simple coping mechanisms your child can practice while taking the test.

Equip your child with calming techniques like deep breathing or a body scan. Another way to calm down during a test is to recite positive affirmations for anxiety. Motivate them to accept that they may not know the answer to every question and that it’s better to move on and return after finishing other problems rather than stay stuck.

Apply for accommodations 

Children who suffer from severe test anxiety may be eligible to receive certain accommodations. For example, a child with extreme test anxiety might be allowed to stand up and take a short break if they start to have a panic attack.

If your child’s test anxiety hinders their test-taking speed, some schools may offer them additional time. If they are diagnosed with a concurrent learning disability, they might receive a modified version of the test. 

Debrief after a test

Your child can’t overcome their test anxiety if they don’t know what makes them nervous. Spend time debriefing your child’s experience after every exam. Ask what makes them nervous—is it that they always feel unprepared no matter how much they study? Do they feel the test material itself is too hard?

Ask your child what, in particular, makes them feel unprepared or nervous, and use this information to help them prepare better for future exams.

Boost your child’s confidence

A small boost of confidence can go a long way for a child who may experience anxiety before taking a test. Give your child honest and specific praise. For example, you might praise them for their effort and preparation or for making significant progress since their last exam. Providing specific praise can make your child feel capable and valued in observable ways.

When to Seek Professional Help

Though test anxiety is common, there may come a point where it significantly hinders your child’s ability to take an exam or even study. Helping a child with test anxiety through professional channels may be necessary if you notice severe emotional and physical symptoms like trouble sleeping or intense fear and worry when an exam is coming up.

You should discuss options with your child’s school counselor or primary care physician if you notice a significant drop in their academic performance. Observe signs of excessive avoidance or perfectionism, such as refusing to study or complete schoolwork because of a fear of failure.

Depending on your child’s long-term patterns and symptoms, you may be able to get professional help in the form of therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective counseling method for children with test anxiety, as it helps them reframe the negative associations they have about exams.

Mindfulness therapy is another helpful option, as it teaches children to be present in the moment instead of worrying about future outcomes.

The Bottom Line 

Sometimes, test anxiety is too hard to handle alone. By supporting a child with test anxiety, you can help them feel more confident in their abilities and help them overcome their fears.

Whether they feel unprepared, nervous, or upset about the exam-taking process, your child can benefit from using our anxiety worksheets to manage their symptoms.

Sources:

1. “Children and Anxiety and Depression.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, 2023.
2. Chand SP, Marwaha R. “Anxiety.” StatPearls Publishing, 2023.
3. Hasan Yusefzadeh, Jamileh Amirzadeh Iranagh, Bahram Nabilou. “The effect of study preparation on test anxiety and performance: a quasi-experimental study.” Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2019.