Taking the Scary Out of Test-Taking

Taking the Scary Out of Test-Taking

Most students get through school by studying, learning, enjoying, and working hard. There is a certain amount of challenge that is beneficial to our children, in order to keep them engaged and motivated to do their best academically. School is the place where children learn many different sets of skills including effective study habits and organization, maintaining concentration and focus, keeping personal boundaries, meeting deadlines and goals, navigating social rules and establishing friendships, and working under pressure. Of all of these skills that our children encounter and use each day, we will focus on one. The ability to stay calm and take a test without letting anxiety take over.

There has been much research on the study of anxiety and how it affects school performance. We know that anxiety and performance work as an inverted (upside down) U. For example, too little or too much anxiety does not help test taking but a certain amount of anxiety helps your child work at his or her peak, which would put your child at the top of the U. When there is an absence of anxiety or excitement, your child may lose attention, motivation, or become bored. However, when anxiety is too high, your son or daughter may not be able to focus or think clearly.

Often times, the anxiety causes panic and your child may say that she feels paralyzed, has stomach pain, or that she has forgotten all that she knows. When anxiety becomes too much, your child is at risk of doing poorly in school and not getting the grades he or she would like. The issue of anxiety becomes most relevant when our children are faced with challenging tasks such as quizzes, class or standardized tests and their grades or school placement are dependent on how they do on these tests.

It is important, that if a child struggles with anxiety or worries about taking a test, that he or she has the tools to help them be as successful as possible.

Tools to combat anxiety when taking a test:

1) Eat a healthy dinner the night before a test, preferably rich in omega 3 and fresh vegetables.

2) Go to bed early with at least 9-10 hours of sleep for younger children and 7-8 hours of sleep for older children/adolescents.

3) Review the material and prepare for the test so that there will be more confidence on the day of the test.

4) For standardized tests, taking practice tests helps to reduce anxiety by knowing the type of material that will be presented. It also helps to identify your child’s weakest areas so that extra help may be given to explain the material.

5) Talking to a trusted adult about anxiety helps to demystify it and allows others to share the times they have felt anxious or worried.

6) Do not try to cram or study the morning of an exam. It only disrupts the memory processing that has already occurred during a good night’s sleep.

7) Take 3 deep breaths before actually starting the test to clear the mind, allow more oxygen flow, and calm heart rate.

8) Positive self-talk helps encourage your son or daughter. For example, phrases such as, “I will do my best,” “I need to breathe and focus,” “I know this material, so don’t worry!” Your child can even come up with a funny phrase that puts a smile on their face before they start the test.


Your son or daughter will most likely need an encouraging word to help boost his or her confidence and a reminder that test taking is an important part of their school experience. Remember to review and follow through on some or all of the tools provided above, to improve test-taking performance. The more your child practices taking tests and exams, the more familiar he will be with working under pressure. Your child’s self-esteem will increase knowing that even though she was anxious, she can face her fears, calm herself, do well on her tests, and achieve the grades she deserves.

Thank you for reading my article! Please feel free to contact me if you would like to receive more information about ways to reduce anxiety and improve test-taking performance.

About Dr. Concepción
Diana M. Concepción, PhD. is a bilingual Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Peachtree City since 2002. Dr. Concepción graduated from the University of Miami in 1986. She received her Master's degree in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from Harvard University. After working for several years in the Psychopharmacology unit at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, she completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Vermont in 1995. She then completed a one-year internship at West Roxbury VA Hospital in Massachusetts.
Dr. Concepción provides therapy and counseling to adults, families, couples, children and adolescents. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and substance abuse counseling, as well as family systems theory. For more information, please contact Dr. Concepción or visit her website at www.drdianaconcepcion.com.