Treating Test Anxiety in Students With Learning Difficulties

217 Pages·2015·1.11 MB·English

by  Laura Eckler Johnson

Florida State University Libraries
Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School
2007
Treating Test Anxiety in Students with
Learning Difficulties: An Exploratory Study
Laura Eckler Johnson
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FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

TREATING TEST ANXIETY IN STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES:
AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

BY
LAURA ECKLER JOHNSON
A Dissertation submitted to the
Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Awarded:
Summer Semester, 2007

Copyright © 2007
Laura Eckler Johnson
All Rights Reserved
The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of Laura Johnson, defended on

October 17, 2006.

______________________________
Frances Prevatt
Professor Directing Dissertation

______________________________
Martin Fennema
Outside Committee Member

______________________________
Donald Kelly
Committee Member

______________________________
Briley Proctor
Committee Member

Approved:

____________________________________________________________________
Gary Peterson, Chair, Educational Psychology and Learning Systems

The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee
members.

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I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Thank you God for giving me strength and peace during this entire process; I offer this
accomplishment up for your Glory.

Lieutenant Colonel Fred W. Johnson: You are my hero in so many ways. I am so proud
of you, and proud to be your wife. Thank you for allowing me to pursue my dream, and
for keeping me on azimuth; especially when I wanted to “stack arms”!

Madelyn: You are the only accomplishment I am more proud of than this dissertation
and this degree! Even after all my education, I am humbled by what I learn about life
from you. I am blessed to be your mother.

Mom and Dad: Thank you for believing in me and encouraging me. You have always
been my safety net and my cheering section; I wouldn’t have made it without either one.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my Major Professor and Committee Chair, Dr. Frances Prevatt: Quite simply, without
you this would not have been. I could not have asked for a more incredible Major
Professor. Thank you for your guidance, mentorship, extreme patience, and friendship.
You are many things to many people; to me you are a blessing, and a supreme example of
what every human being should aspire to be.

To my other Committee Members: Dr. Briley Proctor, Dr. Donald Kelly, and Dr. Robert
“Bud” Fennema. You all are an amazing assemblage of brilliant and wonderful
professionals, caring and committed to excellence. God smiled on me the day you
became my committee members. Thank you for all of your assistance, guidance, and
wise counsel.

To my Internship site Psychologists: Dr. Beverly Atkeson, Dr. Anne Selvey, Dr. Ann
Cituk, and Dr. Lauren Hutto: Thank you for allowing me to intern at my number one
choice! You all are true professionals, with a wealth of information, and extraordinary
mentoring skills. I believe that I learned something new each day!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Tables x
List of Figures xi
Abstract xvi

1. INTRODUCTION 1

Statement of the Problem 2

Purpose of the Current Study 2

Research Questions 3

Assumptions 3

2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 5

Theories of Test Anxiety 5

Interference Models 5

Deficits Models 6

Information Processing Model 7

Inference hypothesis 7

Cue utilization theory 8

Working memory 8

Other Theories of Test Anxiety 8

Intelligence 8

Expectancy theory 9

Personality 9

Evaluative threat 9

v
Correlates of Test Anxiety 10

Learning Disabilities: An Overview 11

Information Processing 11

Working memory 12

Long-term memory 12

Psychosocial Characteristics 13

Learning Disability and Comorbid test Anxiety 13

Treatments for Test Anxiety 14

Behavioral Treatments 14

Cognitive, Physical, and Performance Effects 15

Systematic Desensitization Overview 15

Relaxation training 16

Anxiety hierarchy construction 16

Systematic Desensitization Procedures 16

Summary 16

3. METHODOLOGY 18

The Purpose of the Current Study 18

Population 18

Sample 19

Research Design 19

Case Studies as a Research Method 20

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Data Analysis 21

Variables 21

Instruments Used in this Study 22

Test anxiety inventory 22

State trait anxiety inventory 23

Subjective units of distress 23

Subjective units of efficiency 23

Degrees of Competency 24

Grade point average 24

Hours spent studying 24

Procedures 24

Limitations 26

4. RESULTS 27

Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) 28

State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) 33

The Anxiety Highs and Lows 36

Grade Point Average (GPA) 39

Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) 40

Subjective Units of Efficiency (SUE) 42

Degree of Competence (DOC) 44

Hours Studied 46

GPA, SUD, SUE, DOC, and Hours Studied 48

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What about the participants who did not complete the study? 53

Potential use of test anxiety treatment as a preventative measure 54

Individual Case Studies 54

David 54

James 64

Abby 74

Matt 84

Shauna 93

Tamika 103

Natalie 113

Tammy 123

Alfred 133

5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
FUTURE STUDY 137

Summary of the Study 137

Research Questions 137

General Findings 144

Conclusions 145

Implications 146

Limitations of the Study 146

Recommendations for Future Research 147

APPENDICES 148

A: IRB Approval and Informed Consent Form 148

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B: Intake Form 152

C: Schedule of Data Collection and Treatment Timeline 155

D: Treatment Manual 157

E: Instruments 168

F: Acronyms 180

G: Master Data List 182

REFERENCES 185

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 196

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