Reducing Test Anxiety Through Mind Relaxation in Undergraduate Nursing Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol7.iss1.1283Keywords:
Nursing Students, AnxietyAbstract
BACKGROUND:
Anxiety and stress are feelings often experienced during nursing course exams. According to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, enhanced performance occurs at mid-levels of anxiety while low and high levels hinder optimum performance.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of a Tai Chi (mind relaxation) intervention on test anxiety.
Approach:
Test Anxiety was measured utilizing the Westside Test Anxiety Scale, Zero-to-Ten Self-Anxiety Scale, and pulse rates.
Outcomes:
Thirty-eight undergraduate nursing students enrolled in Health and Illness II during the fall and spring semesters participated in the study. An average of 15 students participated consistently in the Tai Chi intervention. Results demonstrated a significant difference in students’ anxiety scores before and after the Tai Chi intervention and with a post Tai Chi intervention anxiety scores reduction to a mid-level (M=4.73).
CONCLUSION:
This study supports Tai Chi as an effective intervention before examinations in reducing nursing students’ anxiety levels.
References
Alpert, R. & Haber, R.N. (1960). Anxiety in academic achievement situations. Journal DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0045464
of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 10, 207–215.
Beijing Choice Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. (n.d.). Pulse oximeter instruction manual.
Hamburg Germany: Author.
Brodersen, L. (2017). Interventions for test anxiety in undergraduate nursing students: An DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000142
integrative review. Nursing Education Perspectives, 38(3), 131-137.
Cassady, J. & Johnson, R. (2001). Cognitive test anxiety and academic performance. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/t13906-000
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 27, 270–295.
Driscoll, R. (2007). Westside test anxiety scale validation. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED495968.pdf
Dusek, J. B. (1980). The development of test anxiety in children. In I. G. Sarason (Ed.), Test
anxiety: Theory research and applications (pp. 87-110). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Edelman M., & Ficorelli, C. A. (2005). A measure of success: Nursing student and test anxiety. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/00124645-200503000-00004
Journal of Nursing Staff Development, 21(2), 55-59.
Elkins, G., Staniunas, R., Rajab, M. H., Marcus, J., & Snyder, T. (2004). Use of a numeric visual
analog anxiety scale among patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Clinical Nursing
Research, 13(3), 237-243.
Evans, G., Ramsey, G., & Driscoll, R. (2010). Test anxiety program and test gains with nursing
classes. Retrieved from http://www.testanxietycontrol.com/research/nurses10.pdf
Gibson, H. A. (2014). A conceptual view of test anxiety. Nursing Forum, 49(4), 267-277. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12069
Hande, K. A., Cloyd, E., Doersam, J., Dietrich, M. S., & Plummer, C. (2017, September 22).
Mindfulness centered stress reduction in a graduate nursing curriculum: A randomized
controlled study. Tennessee Nurse. Retrieved from https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-
html
Kellar, S. P., & Kelvin, E. A. (2013). Munro’s Statistical Methods for Health Care Research.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Malinski, V. M., & Todaro-Franceschi, V. (2011). Exploring co-meditation as a means of
reducing anxiety and facilitating relaxation in a nursing school setting. Journal of Holistic
Nursing, 29(4), 242-248.
Mulcahy A., Gosselin K., Holland B., & Pittman A. (2016, July). Go with the flow: The use of
movement meditation to reduce simulation anxiety in nursing students. Oral presentation at
the Nurse Educator Conference in the Rockies, Breckinridge, CO.
Peplau, H. E. (1971). A working definition of anxiety. In S. F. Burd & M. A. Marshall (Eds.),
Some clinical approaches to psychiatric nursing (pp. 323-327). London, The MacMillan Co.
Prato, C. A., & Yucha, C. (2013). Biofeedback-assisted relaxation training to decrease test DOI: https://doi.org/10.5480/1536-5026-34.2.76
anxiety in nursing students. Nursing Education Perspective, 34(2), 76-81.
Quinn, B. L., & Peters, A. (2017). Strategies to reduce nursing student test anxiety: A literature DOI: https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20170222-05
review. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(3), 145-151.
Sharma, M., & Haider, T. (2015). Tai chi as an alternative and complimentary therapy for
anxiety: A systematic review. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative
Medicine, 20(2), 143-153.
Solloway, M. R., Taylor, S. L., Shekelle, P. G., Miake-Lyw, I. M., Beroes, J. M., Shanman, R.
M., & Hempel, S. (2016). An evidence map of the effect of Tai Chi on health outcomes.
Systematic Reviews, 5(126). doi 10.1186/s13643-016-0300-y
Selye, H. (1976). The stress of life. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Lowe, B. (2006). A brief measure for
assessing generalized anxiety disorder. Archives of Internal Medicine 166, 1092-1097.
The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2018). Healthy lifestyle stress
management. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-
management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184
Wang, F., Lee, E. O., Wu, T., Benson, H., Fricchione, G. Wang, W., & Yeung, A. S. (2013). The DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/152738
effects of tai chi on depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being: A systematic review
and meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 21, 601-617.
Williams, C. (2013). Meditation techniques. UWIRE Text. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.fhsu.edu:2048/ps/i.do?&id=GALE|A343
&v=2.1&u=klnb_fhsuniv&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w#
Yerkes, R. M., & Dodson, J. D. (1908). The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.920180503
formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology, 18(5), 459-482.
doi:10.10002/cne.920180503
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2019 Kathleen R Ward, Tanya Smith
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyrights for articles published in IJIER journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author for more visit Copyright & License.
How to Cite
