title: Teaching study skills and test-taking strategies to elementary school students. The Testbusters Program.
abstract: A pilot program to reduce test anxiety and related social-evaluative concerns is presented. Testbusters is a program designed specifically for elementary and middle school children in grades 4 through 7 that teaches effective study habits, study skills, and test-taking strategies and includes a behavioral contract to ensure consistent study behavior. The assessment strategy includes self-report instruments, a behavioral assessment, and children's grade point averages. After a 6-month waiting period, eight children with moderate to severe test anxiety participated in the 11-week program. The results indicated that Testbusters decreased general levels of test anxiety and self-ratings of distress when taking a test. Overall grade point average improved significantly and grades in the majority of the subjects showed positive improvement. There was no change in overall self-esteem or judgments of cognitive competence. The results are discussed in terms of the use of a skills strategy to decrease anxiety and improve academic achievement.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Beidel
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Taylor-Ferreira
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*