A Yoga Based Intervention to Reduce Test Anxiety and Improve Test Scores. Introduction

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1 Libben 1 Introduction Students experience many forms of stress in their daily lives and are feeling the pressure of making strides towards their future. Acceptance into a desirable program or college creates a competitive environment among high-school students. College entrance examinations are a source of stress for most students, but students who suffer from test anxiety may find the experience to be overwhelming. If students are experiencing anxiety as they approach a college entrance exam, they may not perform to their highest ability. Even if the students are able to achieve decent test scores, the use of stress reduction coping skills may help them to reach their highest ability. This study s research question is: Does the yoga test preparation program improve test performance? For this study s purposes the yoga test program is the independent variable and is a nominal scale with two categories or attributes, the yoga test intervention program and the standard test program method. Test performance is the dependent variable and is a latent construct. In order to measure test performance, this study will use ACT exam scores, a commonly used and reliable college entrance exam used throughout the United States. It is hypothesized that the yoga intervention group will have better test performance scores than the control group. While yoga has been practiced for many years as a well-known method of relaxation and meditation, the research on the mental health benefits of yoga is relatively rare. The current research indicates that further study is needed on the benefits of yoga as a form of anxiety reduction. Yoga offers many physical and mental health benefits that could aid those who suffer from various forms of anxiety (Silva, Ravindran, & Ravindran, 2009). Yoga has been shown effective in reducing stress (Malathi et al., 1998; White, 2012). Stress can cause anxiety and thus

2 Libben 2 it is important to consider the effects of yoga on people that suffer anxiety. Research focuses on various aspects of yoga have recently been studied, but there are many areas that have yet to be covered. While considering the efficacy of yoga on test anxiety, it is beneficial to consider previous studies of yoga treatments on other forms of anxiety. Malathi et al. (1998) measured five psychophysiological parameters (anxiety level, blood pressure, choice reaction time, heart rate, and galvanic skin resistance) a month before an examination day and on the examination day and found that those who participated in the yoga intervention group showed statistically significant improvements over the control group. By considering the psychophysiological effects due to examination anxiety, it becomes clear that an exam can create changes and stress in one s body. Those changes can lead to anxiety that could inhibit test performance. Performance anxiety is similar to examination anxiety and is one of many forms of anxiety that people may face. Similarly to Malathi et al. (1998) research on examination anxiety, yoga was also found to reduce anxiety symptoms in performance anxiety participants. Khalsa, Shorter, Cope, Wyshak, and Sklar (2009) compared performance anxiety among musicians enrolled in yoga interventions to a control group and found that yoga reduced cognitive and somatic symptoms of musical performance anxiety Test performance and musical performance have similarities such as the need to perform well in high-pressured situations. Therefore, yoga may be a potentially useful way to reduce test anxiety While most of the current research on anxiety and yoga focuses on adults, there are many children who also suffer from anxiety. There have been a few studies that consider the implications of yoga interventions on youth anxiety, but there is room for further examination. In a study using yoga as an intervention, White (2012) focused on the amount of stress that school-

3 Libben 3 age girls are under in their daily lives and how this may lead to psychological problems. In order to help reduce perceived stress and increase coping skills and self-esteem, an eight-week study was performed using yoga as part of a training program of awareness-based practices called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) (White, 2012). The sample of the study consisted of fourth and fifth grade girls in two public schools. An intervention group met for about an hour after school one day a week. They completed yoga homework the remaining six days of the week. The control group did not meet for any type of yoga intervention until after the study was completed as waitlist control group. The results of the study actually showed that no significant differences were found between the control group and the intervention group. In fact, the intervention group was more likely to report higher levels of perceived stress than the control group. In addition the author s second hypothesis of decreased stress was not supported (White, 2012). This could be an effect of the students developing mindfulness and increasing awareness of stressors, which may have caused more stress. While the study did not find significant differences in the two groups, there were suggestions that yoga was beneficial to the school age girls. White s (2012) study indicates room for further examination and consideration of yoga on school-aged children. A similar study on older students should be considered as the demands on schoolwork increase in high school. While also considering the impact of a yoga based school program, Khalsa et al. (2011) considered the mental health benefits of yoga in secondary schools as compared to a control group of a regular physical education school program. The authors of the study recognized the benefits that yoga has offered to those who practice the postures and breathing, such as reduction of perceived stress and improved mood. Junior and Senior students in a rural U.S. secondary

4 Libben 4 school were randomly assigned to the active intervention group that consisted of a yoga program, Yoga Ed, or the control group that consisted of the school s already in place physical education program. Yoga Ed consisted of yoga postures, breathing exercise, visualization, and physically athletic or demanding techniques (Khalsa et al., 2011). The yoga group showed significant increase in resilience, decrease in fatigue, and decrease in anger when compared to the control group. Although the study showed small effects in the yoga group and small declines in the control group on most measure, there were no significant findings that a yoga based school program is more beneficial than a physical education course for a student s mental health. However, the authors note that due to study limitations it is worth studying further and yoga in the school setting has potential of playing a preventative role in maintaining mental health (Khalsa et al., 2011). Yoga has similar benefits to other forms of exercise that were experienced in the physical education groups. It would be beneficial to study the use of yoga compared to a control group with no physical activity requirements. As the previously discussed studies have shown, yoga provides a great tool for stress and anxiety reduction. The studies on the topic of yoga based anxiety reduction are limited and spread out over a wide variety of anxieties and interventions. It becomes clear that further research on the effect of yoga intervention for anxiety need to be conducted, especially when considering test anxiety for students. There have been limited studies on the effects of test anxiety on test performance. One area of study that has recently started researching test anxiety and test performance is foreign language examinations, mostly for English as a second language students. Test anxiety in relation to test performance was studied by Birjandi and Alemi (2010) as they tested Iranian EFL learners in engineering school on English. The authors discuss in their

5 Libben 5 research that there are different types of anxiety to be considered with test performance: trait, stage, or specific anxiety (Birjandi & Alemi, 2010). Trait theory is considered to be a part of personality while state anxiety is an apprehension experienced at a particular moment in time (Birjandi & Alemi, 2010). Specific anxiety occurs in response to a certain type of situation or event such as exams (Birjandi & Alemi, 2010). When anxiety occurs it can either have a positive effect on performance or a negative effect. When anxiety increases performance it is considered facilitative and when it decreases performance it is considered debilitative (Birjandi & Alemi, 2010). The authors tested engineering students first using the Test Anxiety Scale (TAS), a 37- item test based multicomponential aspects of test taking anxiety (Birjandi & Alemi, 2010). The participants were then given a general English achievement test based on contents the participants had already studied in their program (Girjandi & Alemi, 2010). After analyzing the results, the authors concluded that trait anxiety rather than state anxiety shapes poor test performance (Girjandi & Alemi, 2010). In nami (2006) studied the effects of test anxiety on listening performance by testing first year university Japanese students enrolled in English courses. The participants were administered an English listening test and two questionnaires designed to measure anxiety (In nami, 2006). The findings of this study concluded that test anxiety has no significant effect on listening test performance (In nami, 2006). The author further concludes that test anxiety is an anxiety problem in general and is not specific to foreign language listening performance (In nami, 2006). Both Girjandi & Alemi (2010) and In nami (2006) concluded that situation specific test anxiety does not have an effect on test performance, but they were both specifically testing

6 Libben 6 foreign language test performance. Further testing on other topics and sample populations should be executed in order to gain a better understanding of anxiety and how it can impact examination results. Berk and Nanda (2006) who studied the use of humor as a way to reduce test anxiety, mentioned that while student s may still perform well while experiencing anxiety, it may be due to coping skills they have learned in order to deal effectively with their anxiety. The purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a school based yoga intervention on college entrance examination achievement scores for high school students. Current research on yoga interventions has implemented the assessment tool of self-perception, but does not consider the performance outcome as a form of assessment. While research on performance test performance has not considered testing coping skills just as yoga to increase scores. By considering the effects of yoga on performance achievement, this study will add valuable insight to subject of both test anxiety performance and yoga interventions. This study will consider the effectiveness of yoga by comparing the achievement scores of a college entrance examination between a yoga preparation group and a control group. Method The sample for this study will be sophomore high school students who have anxiety and who have not yet taken the ACT. The sampling frame will be sophomores at a local high school. In order to select the sample, the local high school will administer an anxiety instrument to all sophomores. Those who qualify as having anxiety will be asked to participate in a free ACT preparation program for those who experience anxiety. The students will receive free ACT test preparation assistance and a free ACT examination. It is hoped that with the financial assistance of the examination preparation and testing fee, many students will volunteer to participate so that the sampling size is moderate to large.

7 Libben 7 Difficulties obtaining a large enough sample could result if not enough students qualify as experiencing anxiety. If this is the case, more high schools should be offered the chance to participate in the study. Sophomore students who have not previously taken the ACT will be invited to complete the Friedben Test Anxiety Scale (FTA) (Friedman and Bendas-Jacob, 1997). The FTA measures 3 subscales of test anxiety: Social Derogation, Cognitive Obstruction, Tenseness (Friedman and Bendas-Jacob, 1997). Students who take the FTA and qualify as having test anxiety will be asked to participate in the study. The qualifying students who participate will be randomly assigned to either the control group or to the intervention group. To determine if a yoga based intervention group increases test performance for students who experience anxiety, an experimental randomized post test only 2x2 design will be conducted. A control group receiving strictly test material assistance and an intervention group receiving both test material and yoga instruction will be randomly assigned. Both the control and intervention group will meet separately over ten weeks during the summer for a free ACT test preparation program. The ACT test program will be a standard test preparation program, Kaplan test prep. The same Kaplan instructor will meet with each group of students at the local high school and instruct the students on studying for the ACT. Both groups will meet for 2 hours on Mondays through Friday during the course of the program. This ensures that the study preparation for both groups is relatively equal, as they will be studying with the same instructor, the same classroom environment and same time length. Students will be asked to not study outside of the group preparation program, but this will be impossible to accurately control. After the Kaplan test preparation program concludes each

8 Libben 8 day, the control group will be dismissed for the day while the yoga intervention group will move to the gym for one hour of yoga instruction. The yoga instruction will include basic hatha yoga with a strong emphasis on relaxation techniques. Following the conclusion of the program, both the control and yoga intervention groups will take the ACT exam free of charge. The test will be administered at the local high school only for those who participated in the study. The ACT exam scores will be analyzed and compared to determine if the yoga intervention program improves test performance for students who face test anxiety. This study design does have a few threats to internal validity, however it is strong against all the single-group threats and all of the multiple-group threats with the exception of selection mortality. Although this study is strong against all of the single-group threats and most of the multiple-group threats to internal validity, it is still susceptible to social interaction threats such as diffusion or imitation of treatment, compensatory rivalry, resentful demoralization, and compensatory equalization of treatment. While it is not possible to eliminate any of these threats to internal validity, it is hoped that by implementing the study over the summer, the students will not be gathered together to discuss each group s progress and interventions. The fact that the program is free to students overs the summer and provides a complimentary ACT exam and Kaplan program, all students and parents should feel that each group is receiving a beneficial service and should not be competitive or resentful towards each other. Once the program has been implemented and the students take the ACT, the mean test scores will be compared from both the control group and the yoga group. Because this study is a simple two-group post-test only randomized experiment, a t-test will be used to analyze the results for significance in order to answer the research question. The t-test is used in order to

9 Libben 9 compare the means between the two groups. It is specifically relevant for posttest only randomized experimental designs. Discussion and Implications The strengths of this study lie in the controlled application of test preparation. By providing free Kaplan sessions to all participants, participation should be high. This also levels the playing field for study preparation between each group. Also, by selecting the sample from one school, the students should have a relatively similar background in educational courses. The TAS used to determine if students experience anxiety is reliable. In addition the ACT is a standardized exam that is well respected. The use of the exam scores is a strength in measuring testing performance. Limitations of this study could lie heavily in the sample. If a only a small sample is obtained it would be more difficult to generalize the results to the larger population of students. Also, this study fails to distinguish between the different types of anxiety such as trait, state, and situation specific. Further studies should consider exploring the difference between each anxiety sub type with test performance. Assuming that the results of the study confirm the hypothesis that a yoga intervention will increase test performance, this study will provide valuable resources to students who suffer from anxiety. By implanting yoga studies in schools, students can rise above the stress and anxiety academic testing can cause in order to perform well on examinations. Higher college entrance examination scores allow students to apply to better colleges and universities. In addition to higher exam scores, the stress reduction and anxiety that is created through the practice of yoga can provide the students valuable coping skills and a sense of emotional well being.

10 Libben 10 References Berk, R. A., & Nanda, J., (2006). A randomized trial of humor effects on test anxiety and test performance. Humor, 19 (4), Birjandi, P, & Alemi, A. (2010). The impact of test anxiety on test performance among Iranian EFL learners. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, 1 (4), Da Silva, T. I., Ravindran, L. N., & Ravindran, A. V. (2009). Yoga in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders: A Review. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 2, Friedman, I. A. & Bendas-Jacob, O., (1997). Measuring Perceived Test Anxiety in Adolescents: A Self-Report Scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 57 (6), In nami, Y. (2010). The effects of test anxiety on listening test performance. System, 34, Khalsa, S. B. S., Shorter, S. M., Cope, S., Wyshak, G., & Sklar, E. (2009). Yoga Ameliorates Performance Anxiety and Mood Disturbance in Young Professional Musicians. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback, 34, Khalsa, S. B. S., Hickey-Schultz, L., Cohen, D., Steiner, N., & Cope, S. (2011). Evaluation of the Mental Health Benefits of Yoga in a Secondary School: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Behavior Health Services & Research, 39, Malathi, A., Damodaran, A., Shah, N., Krishnamurthy, G., Namjoshi, P., & Ghodke, S., (1998). Psychophysiological Changes at the Time of Examination in Medical Students Before and After the Practice of Yoga and Relaxation. Indian J, Psychiat, 40 (1),

11 Libben 11 White, L. S. (2012). Reducing Stress in School-age Girls Through Mindful Yoga. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 26,