5 Tips to Help Your Child Cope with Testing Anxiety
Testing anxiety is an issue that impacts students from elementary age through college.
One study found that anywhere from 25-40% of students deal with this kind of anxiety, which can impact test scores, of course, but it can also take a toll on their overall mental well-being.
Even if your student studies hard, gets good grades, and knows the material they’re being tested on, anxiety can make it difficult to focus and get things done on time.
Thankfully, as a parent or caregiver, there are things you can do to help your child cope with testing anxiety.
With a few helpful tips, you can ease their worries and allow them to shine when facing their next test in school.
1. Talk to Them
If you know your child tends to struggle with tests, one of the best things you can do is to talk to them about it.
Ask them about their concerns and why tests make them so nervous.
They might have specific triggers you can focus on.
Most importantly, validate their feelings.
Anxiety tends to fuel itself.
If your child struggles with test anxiety and doesn’t do well on tests, they might start to worry about other things, like their self-worth, intelligence, or even their future.
2. Create a Study Plan
Even if your child is already studying, they might not be doing so in the most efficient and effective way.
People learn differently, and it’s important for your child to find a way that works for them.
Help them create a study plan and review things with them regularly.
Make sure they understand the content of what they’re studying and that they’re not just memorizing facts.
The more confident they feel about what they’re being tested on, the less likely it will be for anxiety to take over.
3. Relaxation Techniques
Teach your student how to stay calm, even when those anxious thoughts start to creep in.
Deep breathing, mindfulness, and meditation are great ways to calm nerves and stay focused during test time.
Visualization can also help, especially if they’re struggling during the test.
It can put them in a positive, calm place and help them look at the material in front of them without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Promote Growth
If your student does poorly on a test because of their anxiety, make sure they don’t fall deeper into the pit of fear or depression.
Help them adopt a growth mindset by encouraging them to learn from their mistakes.
What can they do differently next time?
Are there different studying techniques to try?
Will a certain relaxation exercise help?
Some of the brightest, most successful individuals in the world experienced failure time and time again.
A growth mindset will encourage your child not to give up, even when discouraged by a test score.
5. Provide Positive Reinforcement
As a parent or caregiver, make sure you aren’t putting too much pressure on your student’s test-taking abilities.
It’s better to focus on their efforts rather than emphasizing their grades.
If you can see that they’re working hard and grasping the material, make sure to praise them appropriately.
Doing so can take away some of the weight from their shoulders and keep them from putting so much pressure on themselves.
***
If you find that your child is still struggling with test anxiety, consider reaching out to a mental health professional.
Therapy can dig deeper into why your child might be anxious about taking tests and any other issues that might be fueling their anxiety.
It can also help with even more effective ways to cope.
You don’t have to wait for the next anxiety-inducing test to come around to get your child the help they need.