|
By Lacy Dyke, M.MFT, LPC-S 
If you are a parent of a school aged child, you undoubtedly
dealt with the rigors of preparing your child for this year’s state wide
standardized tests. Get a good night’s rest, eat a banana, be on
time, these are all the general recommendations for preparing your child for
testing the next day, but what if your child wakes with severe nausea or
headache, dreads going to school that day to the point of tantrums or calls you
crying during a break? Your child may be
experiencing test anxiety. Many children
experience test or performance anxiety every day, but when it becomes so
pervasive your child has noticeable physical reactions or a big drop in scores,
it may be time to get them some additional help.
Counselors specializing in childhood test anxiety can offer a
variety of support and solutions for the anxious child. One specific area of investigation that can
add insight into your child’s behavior and performance is uncovering underlying
fears about testing. Many times children
have experienced a negative score in the past that leads them to believe they
will perform in the same way in the future.This kind of thinking can sabotage their efforts before they even
begin. Other children may feel pressure from
outside sources, such as college entrance requirements, parents or other
students, to perform well. Fears of disappointing
others or not performing well enough to achieve their goals can interfere with
preparation and performance and can cause extreme amounts of pressure to be
placed on every question the child is unsure about. Still other children struggling with ADHD or
difficulty focusing, may experience fear regarding completing the exam within
the specific time constraints and the negative outcomes they will experience if
they do not finish in time. Working with
a counselor to identify each child’s specific worry about the test or their
performance will often times offer answers to many puzzling questions and provide a
good direction for how to assist the child in overcoming their fears and
anxiety about future exams
Once test anxiety has been identified, it can be helpful to
remind your child of their value regardless of their test scores. Many older children can believe that if they
perform poorly on exams, they won’t get into the college of their choice or that
low test scores could cause them to not get the scholarships needed to pay for
school, threatening their financial means and future. Younger children may worry they won’t pass
their grade and all their friends will move on without them. Many fears of poor test performance exists
and children can believe that if they don’t perform well, then they will not be
accepted, loved, valued, etc. as much as if they achieve high scores. Reminding your child that you love and accept
them no matter what score they attain gives them permission to focus on other
goals, instead of stress to gain acceptance from outside sources.
Living in a society of examinations and performance can set a
child up to fear testing and to experience high levels of anxiety during exams. If you notice your child acting out of
character, having unexplainable tummy troubles, difficulty sleeping, or sudden
headaches, consider investigating their feelings about previous and upcoming
exams, as well as their beliefs about their performance on these exams. What you uncover could explain many physical
symptoms and give you good information about how to help them going forward. About the Author...
Lacy Dyke is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor with Leander Counseling Associates outside of Austin, TX. Lacy specializes in anxiety disorders, specifically test anxiety in children and adults. Last Update: 3/24/2014
|
