Effectiveness of Mindfullness Based Stress Reduction on Fear of Positive Evaluation and Psychosomatic Symptoms in Students with Test Anxiety

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction: Test anxiety is a psychological reaction to a high-stakes situation in which students are evaluated; it involves the risk of experiencing difficulties and the need to cope with the situation.
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention on fear of evaluation and psychosomatic symptoms in students suffering from test anxiety.
Method: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and control group. The statistical population consisted of all upper secondary school students in the city of Lahijan. The sample comprised students identified as having test anxiety; following parental consent, 30 students were selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group (15 participants each). The instruments used included the Fear of Evaluation Scale (Weeks et al., 2008), the Psychosomatic Complaints Scale (Takata & Sakata, 2004), and the Test Anxiety Questionnaire (Friedman & Bendas-Jacob, 1997). Participants in the experimental group underwent the mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention. Following the study, the same intervention was also administered to the control group. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to analyze the data. Results: Analysis of covariance revealed significant differences between the experimental and control groups at the post-test stage regarding the assessment of fear of positive evaluation (F=4.44, P=0.01) and psychosomatic complaints (F=5.24, P=0.002).
Discussion and Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that a stress-reduction intervention—utilizing techniques for attention regulation and addressing physical symptoms—can be effective in improving fear of positive evaluation and concentration performance, as well as in addressing psychosomatic complaints.