The Effect of Mindfulness Programs on Collegiate Test Anxiety

Abstract

Objectives: Affecting approximately one-fifth of college students, test anxiety is a source of academic failure that leads to worse exam performance and academic retention. The present study assessed the efficacy of online mindfulness-based interventions at reducing collegiate test anxiety. Methods: Undergraduate college students (N = 71) were randomly assigned to a six-week mindfulness condition (n = 24), a three-week mindfulness condition (n = 21), or a six-week sham mindfulness active control condition (n = 26). Participants in each condition were assigned five weekly meditations and written reflections. Responses to online surveys captured participants’ reported levels of test anxiety and mindfulness pre- and post-intervention. Results: Increases in mindfulness were associated with decreased reports of test anxiety, r(69) = −.48. Across all conditions, self-reported mindfulness increased, and self-reported test anxiety decreased from pre- to post-test, F(1, 68) = 19.5 and 28.9, p’s