Discussion: Test Anxiety Case Study
Instructions
Read the following case study and respond to the questions provided in your post.
Monica has a biology mid-term exam on Thursday. On the night before the exam, Monica has a
hard time falling asleep and when she does, she has various nightmares about taking tests. The
day of the exam, Monica decides not to eat anything, as she is afraid it will make her stomach
upset. By the time she arrives to class, Monica is irritable and negative about the exam. The
slightest noise seems to bother her.
Monica notices that her palms are sweaty, and she is feeling nauseous, even though she hasn’t
eaten anything. She has to take the exam in order to pass the class, so she begins to take the
exam. Although she studied for the exam the previous week and spent the night before cramming,
she can’t seem to recall any of the information. Monica is suddenly drawing a complete blank.
The ticking of the clock, other students shifting in their chairs is becoming distracting; and
Monica’s frustration level is quickly rising. Monica says to herself, “If you can’t pass this exam,
you might as well drop the course because you are no good at biology”.
Monica continues with the test, checking the clock constantly as she fears she is going to run out
of time because she arrived to class late. Other students are finishing their exams, she is the only
student left.

What strategies would you suggest for Monica to deal with her test anxiety?

What study strategies could she try to help her better prepare for her exams?

Can you relate to any of the symptoms that Monica is experiencing? If so, how do you
combat test anxiety?

How do you usually prepare for your exams?

Thinking about errors you’ve made on exams in the past, what strategies did you use to
improve upon your performance?