title: The effectiveness of psychoeducation and systematic desensitization to reduce test anxiety among first-year pharmacy students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effect of psychological intervention on reducing performance anxiety and the consequences of the intervention on first-year pharmacy students.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, 236 first-year undergraduate pharmacy students from a private university in Malaysia were approached between weeks 5 and 7 of their first semester to participate in the study. The completed responses for the Westside Test Anxiety Scale (WTAS), the Kessler Perceived Distress Scale (PDS), and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) were received from 225 students. Out of 225 students, 42 exhibited moderate to high test anxiety according to the WTAS (score ranging from 30 to 39) and were randomly placed into either an experiment group (n=21) or a waiting list control group (n=21).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of test anxiety among pharmacy students in this study was lower compared to other university students in previous studies. The present study's anxiety management of psychoeducation and systematic education for test anxiety reduced lack of motivation and psychological distress and improved grade point average (GPA).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological intervention helped significantly reduce scores of test anxiety, psychological distress, and lack of motivation, and it helped improve students' GPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kingston
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajiah
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Coumaravelou
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saravanan
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D003376:Counseling; D003479:Curriculum; D003887:Desensitization, Psychologic; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015995:Prevalence; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D012580:Schools, Pharmacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*; D058013:Test Taking Skills; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: academic performance; motivation; pharmacy students; psychological interventions; test anxiety