The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a training program based on positive thinking in reducing test anxiety among tenth grade Jordanian ...
Indian Journal of Positive Psychology
© 2015 Indian Association of Health, Research and Welfare
2015, 6(3), 276-278
ISSN-p-2229-4937e-2321-368X
http://www.iahrw.com/index.php/home/journal_detail/19#list
The effect of a training program based on positive thinking in reducing test anxiety among tenth grade Jordanian students Adnan Yousef Atoum and Atheer Halal Hadad Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a training program based on positive thinking in reducing test anxiety among tenth grade Jordanian students. To achieve this aim, the researchers developed a training program based on positive thinking strategies and a scale measuring test anxiety after reliability and validity procedures were conducted. The sample of the study consisted of (60) female students from the tenth grade. Two classes were selected randomly and assigned to the experimental and control group. The results of ANCOVA showed that there was a significant statistical difference in the post-anxiety test attributed to the group and in favor of the experimental group. Furthermore, results of the paired sample t-test showed no significant statistical difference between means of the post scores and the delayed follow up scores for the experimental group.
Keywords: training program, positive thinking, test anxiety In this changing world, individuals face many problems that help create a state of frustration, tension, and anxiety. Psychologists suggested many ways to overcome such challenges such as advance thinking and problem solving strategies as means of methods to build up individuals' cognitive abilities when facing difficult times. Many people feel that things are under control around us, while others feel that our emotions and thoughts toward issues in our environment are causing lots of frustration, confusion, and lost of personal identity and self-control (Karve, 2011). Csikzenthmihalyi and Seligman (2000) showed that positive psychology focuses on the ways in which people can remain psychologically healthy and lead fulfilling lives. This term was associated with other terms such as positive thinking, creativity, flow experiences, subjective well-being, happiness, hope, and optimism. Yearley (1990) defined positive thinking as a group of positive strategies that allow individuals to achieve their goals and be positive in life situations. Neck and Manz (1992) stated that positive thinking means that individuals have the confident in their abilities to succeed and achieve life goals. Positive thinking correlates to happiness, joy, good mental health, and academic success. Wang, Chang, and Lai (2012) stated that positive thinking provides inventives to selfdevelopment, a dressing difficult life situations, and face chalenges in a positive way. Positive thinkers have specific characteristics such as avoid negative thinking, seeking happiness and optimism, well adjusted with self, likes life and change, and refuses failure and defeat (Jackson, 2012 ; Csikzenthmihalyi & Swligman, 2000 ). Positive thinking is a learned skill that can be shaped through learning and practices for all ages. Ajmera (2013) stated that using positive thinking skills give individuals more control over life situations through controlling our reactions to situations and other people behaviors. Abdelaziz (2011) stated that when a children develop such skill, it helps them become release and reduce tension related to real life situations. Meanwhile, if a child develops negative thinking skills, it is most likely that this child will experience failure Correspondence should be sent to Adnan Yousef Atoum Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
and disparity. Camacho (2011) and Thomassian (2011) suggested several ways to help individuals in changing negative thinking styles into a positive thinking styles such as focusing on the quality of ideas, positive self-assertiveness daily, self-control over ideas, selfresponsibility over our thoughts, focusing on the present instead of the past or the future, using positive language, and avoiding negative people. Test anxiety is one phenomenon that affects students performance at all levels. Evans (2003) stated that test anxiety represent a state of fear from failing before, during, and after exams. Also, Zeidner (1998) stated that test anxiety is a set of psychological and behavioral responses that accompany fear of possible negative consequences during exams or situations where students go under evaluation. Test anxiety is a learned response that happens as a result of stressing factors or negative situations that students face and it gets generalized to similar situations. Al-Zugool et al. (2012) found several factors that contribute to test anxiety among Jordanian students such as assertive socialization practices, comparing students' achievement with peers regardless of individual differences, and some personality traits that are sensitive to anxiety in general. Furthermore, Farah, Atoum, and Al-Ali (1993) in a study among high school Jordanian students showed a positive correlation between students test anxiety scores and irrational thinking scores. Negative thinking is considered one of the major factors associated with test anxiety. As students become occupied with negative thought about themselves or the exam, their achievement becomes less and they eventually develop negative beliefs about their inability to pass exams. Negative emotions and fear of the exams will also develop over time (Eybergen, 2010). Hogendoom, et al. (2011) found students age (8-18) years, who were labeled as anxious students, had showed higher levels of negative thinking compared to student were low on general anxiety. Several researchers attempted to employ different types of training, counseling and therapeutic programs to deal with test anxiety through changing student's thoughts and ideas about exams and making them more positive. Al-Raood (2008) attempted to use
277
Indian Journal of Positive Psychology 2015, 6(3), 276-278
behavioral therapeutic program to reduce anxiety among Jordanian patients with language difficulties. The results showed that the program was effective in reducing general anxiety among the experimental group. Nelson and Knight (2010) attempted to employ positive thoughts to reduce test anxiety among college students. Experimental group students' score on test anxiety was lower and their self-confidence became higher. Abod (2013) used a group counseling program to reduce test anxiety among tenth-grade Jordanian students. The program was effective in reducing test anxiety scores and improved students' self-efficacy scores. In general, previous research and literature showed that improving positive thinking and reducing negative thoughts helped students' in reducing test anxiety and improved their exam results among other psychological and educational benefits.
physical, and cognitive) and (79) items were distributed among these four domains. The proposed scale was presented to (10) psychologists to judge the ability of items and domains in measuring test anxiety and for clarity and language. In light of agreement of 80% of the referees, (10) items were modified and (27) items were omitted. Construct validity was established by analyzing scores of the test anxiety proposed scale on a sample of (50) students (independent from the sample) from the same school. Correlations were calculated between item scores and total-domain scores. Two items only had low correlations and were omitted. The scale finally consisted of (50) items. Reliability was calculated through validity data by calculating Cronbach Alpha values. Alpha values for the four domains and the total score were between (.79-.88) which indicated good reliability indicators. A five-point likert type responses were assigned to each item in the scale and total scores ranged from (50 250). Statement of the problem The program aimed to introduce positive thinking to students and Many students show signs of anxiety and stress around exam times how to apply positive thoughts and escaping negative thinking. The which reflect negatively on their achievement and ability to adjust program assumed that negative thoughts are behind failure and well in their social and personal lives. Many of those students allow maladjustment. So, exchanging negative thought with positive ones negative thoughts to control their thinking and emotional processes, will help students be more positive and get ready of tension and and a state of disparity and Pessimism will be the dominant state stress around exams. during their school activities. Therefore, the present study aimed to The program consisted of (12) sessions each lasted about (50-60) study the effect of a training program based on positive thinking in minutes. Each session consisted of stories and topics for discussion reducing test anxiety among 10th grade Jordanian students. represent situation related to employing positive instead of negative thoughts and showing the consequences of each situation. The Hypotheses of the study program employed various activities and strategies that allowed for n There is no statistical significant differences (P= .05) in test discussion, role playing, and team work. The program was presented anxiety scores between the experimental group that went through to three psychologists to referee the ability of the program in training on positive thinking and control group. forming positive thoughts among students and for clarity and n There is no statistical significant differences (P= .05) in test effectiveness of the activities of all sessions. Researchers have anxiety scores between the post test and delayed test among the taken all the suggestions and recommendations into account. experimental group. Instructions: After researchers achieved the school permission to conduct the study, (60) subjects were chosen and divided randomly Significant of the study and equally into the experimental and control group. The pre-test This study represent a new research attempt to test the effect of was administered to both groups and training sessions were given to positive thinking training program on reducing test anxiety among the experimental group. Students in the experimental group were high school Jordanian students. The study also provides teacher, briefed and informed of the purpose of the training and agreed to counselors, and researchers with a training program that can be used participate in the training sessions. After training was completed, the to reduce test anxiety in Jordanian schools. post test was administered to both the experimental and control Subject of the study group. Finally, a month later, the delayed test was administered to the experimental group only. The sample consisted of 60 female students selected randomly from the 10th grade level at a Jordanian high school. The sample was divided randomly and equally to the experimental and control group.
Results
Method
Before exploring the results based on each hypothesis, means and standard deviations of pre-post test anxiety scores for the experimental and control groups were calculated as shown in table 1.
Participants
Table 1: Means and S.D. of pre-post test anxiety scores for the experimental and control group
The present study employed an experimental design that used prepost experimental and control groups. Test anxiety scale was administered to subjects in both groups as a pres and post-test. A month later, the experimental group was given the test-anxiety scale as a delayed-test.
Group
Instruments
Experimental Control
Test Anxiety Scale: In light of literature review and some available scales measuring test anxiety (Cassady & Johnson , 2002 & AboAzab, 2008), researchers developed a new scale to measure test anxiety that consisted of four domains (psychological, social,
Data in table 1 showed an apparent change in test anxiety post scores in the experimental group (m=2.08) compared to the control group (m=3.34). To evaluate the 1st hypothesis about the statistical significant differences (P= .05) in test anxiety post scores between
Pre
Post
Means
S.D.
Means
S.D.
3.29 3.45
0.427 0.455
2.08 3.34
0.196 0.551
278
ATOUM AND HADAD/ THE EFFECT OF A TRAINING PROGRAM BASED
the experimental group and control group, one way ANCOVA was used to test the effect of group on the post anxiety scores with the pre anxiety scores as a covariant variable as shown in table 2. Table 2: Result of the One-Way ANCOVA analysis showing the effect of group on test anxiety Variable
SS
DF
MS
F
P
Group Covariate Error Total
21.418 0.648 9.277 33.588
1 1 57 59
21.418 0.648 0.163
131.596 3.982
0.001 0.051
Results of table 2 showed a significant difference (α≤0.05) in test anxiety due to the variable group (F= 131.596, p= 0.001) and in favor of the experimental group that was trained based on positive thinking. Mean for the experimental group (2.08) was lower than the control group (3.29) which did not receive any training. This result rejects the first null hypothesis. To test the second hypothesis regarding a statistical significant differences (P= .05) in test anxiety scores between the post test and delayed test among the experimental group, a paired sample T-Test was conducted between scores of the post scores and delayed scores of test anxiety scale as shown in table 3. T-Test results of differences between post and delayed scores of test anxiety in the experimental group Group
Level
Experimental Post Delayed
Means
S.D.
t
D.F
P.
2.081 2.167
0.196 0.312
1.257
29
0.219
Results of table 3 showed no statistical significant difference (T=1.257, p=.219) between post scores (2.081) and delayed scores (2.167) of the test anxiety scale for the experimental group. This means that the reduction in test anxiety as a result of training based on positive thinking continued during the delayed test and giving more evidence of the effectiveness of the training program in reducing test anxiety among students and rejects the second hypothesis.
Discussion Results of the study showed that anxiety level was reduced significantly in the experimental group that went through training based on positive thinking compared to the control group that did not receive such training. Also, the reduction in test anxiety for students in the experimental group remained low in the delayed test giving further evidence of the effectiveness of the training program. These results can be attributed to change in students' thinking styles where the program helped students think more positively and getting ready of the negative ideas concerning a lot of situations students' face. Students came to realize the effect of negative thought on daily life situations and dealing with exams in particular. Students exchanged their fear of failure with assertiveness and feelings of optimistic toward passing and taking their exams. Based on students' feedback and remarks toward the training program, the program was clearly successful and effective in providing the students with tools and ideas to avoid negative ideas and thoughts and to adapt positive ideas that will reflect positively on their performance and relationships with others. Also, the program was effective in terms of teaching students some strategies that reinforce positivism such as brain storming, group discussion,
dialogue, storytelling, and role playing. Another aspect of the program that contributed to these results stems from the fact that the training program managed to provide activity that are close to students attitudes and needs and made their interaction with program more enjoyable and interesting. These activities provided a real opportunity for the students to generate their learning into many situations they face including exams. These results are supported by many previous studies that indicated that anxiety is related to negative thinking and less positive and rational thinking (Hogendoorn et al., 2011; Nelson & Knight, 2010). Based on the results of the present study, the researchers recommend: n Schools should adopt a culture of positivism in all students' activities and provide students with opportunities to adapt positive thinking skills in all their interactions. n Attempting to include positive thinking skills through school curricula and extra-curricular activities. n School counselors should adopt positive thinking strategies through their programs and activities.
References Abo-Azab, N. (2008). The effect of a counseling program in reducing test anxiety among high school students in Gaza. Unpublished Master Thesis, Islamic University, Gaza. Al-Raood, A. (2008). The effect of a behavioral therapeutic program on reducing anxiety. Unpublished Dissertation, Amman Arab University for Graduate Studies, Jordan. Al-Zugool, I., Talafeh, F., & Al-Mahameed, S. (2012). The effect of using a strategy in introducing behavioral objectives on test anxiety. Educational and Psychological Sciences Journal, Damascus University, 28(1), 393-417. Abdel-Azeez, M. (2011). The power of Positive Thinking. Technology Valley society, Egypt. Abood, M. (2013). The effect of a group counseling program in reducing test anxiety and improving self-efficacy among 10th grade students. Unpublished Dissertation, Yarmouk University, Jordan. Ajmera, R. (2013). How to teach children to have positive attitudes. Livestron foundation. Retrieved April 20,2014. From: http://www.livestrong.com/article/ 77539-teach-children-positive attitudes. Cassady, J. C., & Johnson, R. E. (2002). Cognitive test anxiety and academic performance. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 27, 270-295. Camacho, C.(2011). Turn your negative thinking into positive thinking And change your life. Retrieved October 15,2013. From: http://ensojourney.com/turn-your-negativethinking-into-positive thinking-and-change-your-life. Evans, L. (2003). helping your child manage test anxiety Changing the Face of Child Mental Health. NYU Child Study Center, 1(1), 232-254. Eybergen, D. ( 2010). Negative Thinking and Test Anxiety. Retrieved November 17, 2013 From: http://dyaneybergen.com/503/negative-thinking-and-test-anxiety helping-students-manage-the-fear-of-writing-tests. Farah, A., Atoum, A., & Al-Ali, N. (1993). Test anxiety and irrational thoughts. Psychology Journal, Egypt, 26, 26-32. Hogendoorn, S., Prins, P., Vervoort.L, W., Nauta, M., Hartman, C., Moorlag, H., Haan. E., & Boer, F. (2011). Positive thinking in Anxiety disordered children reconsidered. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 26, 71 78. Jackson, P. (2012). What is Positive Thinking? Integrated energy works. Healing the scars of life Journal. Retrieved October 27,2013. From: http://integratedenergyworks. com Karve. V. (2011). Feel good by positive thinking- the key to a happy and heal the life. Academic and creative writing Journal. Retrieved October 13.2013, From: http:// karvediat.blogspot.com/2011/09/feel-Good by -positive-thinking-key-to.html Nelson, D., & Knight, A. ( 2010 ). The Power of Positive Recollections: Reducing Test Anxiety and Enhancing College Student Efficacy And Performance. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 4(3), 732-745. Neck, C., & Manz, C. (1992).Thought Self-leadership: the influence of self-talk & mental imagery on performance. Journal of Organizational Behavior 13(7), 681-699 Seligman, M., & Csikzenthmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology. Journal of An introduction. American psychologist, 55(1), 5-14 Thomassian, M. (2011). 7 Strategies to Developing a Positive Mental Attitude. Change your thoughts Change your life journal. Retrieved August 8,2014, From http://www. stevenaitchison. co.uk/blog/7-strategies-to-developing-a-positive-mental-attitude. Yearly, L. (1990). Mencius and Aquinas: theories of virtue and conceptions of courage. State university of New York: Press, state university Plaza, Albany. N.Y.,p. 122-46.
