A Systematic Review of Test Anxiety Identification and Leveling in Children and Adolescents.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: A Systematic Review of Test Anxiety Identification and Leveling in Children and Adolescents.
Authors: Tan, Ser Hong (AUTHOR), Cassady, Jerrell C. (AUTHOR), Wong, Jason Kang Chiang (AUTHOR), Khng, Kiat Hui (AUTHOR), Leong, Wei Shin (AUTHOR)
Source: Psychology in the Schools. Aug2025, Vol. 62 Issue 8, p2373-2389. 17p.
Subjects: Failure (Psychology), Test anxiety, Anxiety, Teenagers, Confidence, Symptoms
Abstract: Test anxiety is experienced in competence‐based situations, such as tests and exams, where one is anxious and concerned about failure in performance outcomes. It is often of interest to both research and applied settings to identify students who are high on test anxiety to understand the characteristics of high test anxiety or to provide support and intervention for these students. This systematic review focuses on the methods in which Grades 1–12 (or equivalent) students were identified based on varying test anxiety levels. A total of 99 studies from 92 papers met the inclusion criteria. The extracted data from the studies included strategies employed to identify "levels" of test anxiety, details on the test anxiety measures used, and methodological strategies that were most commonly used to examine students with defined levels of test anxiety. The results of this analysis demonstrated significant variability in the methods and materials used to establish levels among students and demonstrated several significant areas where improvements in the field are warranted before confidence in most leveling strategies can be asserted. Summary: Recognize test anxiety as primarily a continuous multidimensional construct to recognize that learner experiences vary significantly."Cut scores" may prove useful in a systemic solution of identifying learners with concerningly high levels of test anxiety. However, to ensure valid identification of students with differing levels of likely need, appropriate strategies for establishing level indicators must be followed. Unfortunately, the research identifies the vast majority of studies have relied on single‐study samples, which greatly biases the decisions made.Identification, intervention, and prevention efforts to support students with heightened levels of test anxiety should take into account of the multidimensional nature of test anxiety. This will allow targeted supports for reducing physiological symptoms, building self‐regulation skills, or reframing students' interpretations of academic stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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