Advances in Medical Education and Practice (May 2019)
The effect of study preparation on test anxiety and performance: a quasi-experimental study
Abstract
Hasan Yusefzadeh,1 Jamileh Amirzadeh Iranagh,2 Bahram Nabilou31Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Science, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran; 2Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran; 3Social determinants of health Research Center, Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, IranBackground: Health care education is an important issue in the development of countries, and student’s academic achievement plays an important role in this respect. Test anxiety can affect the academic performance of students. This study aimed to investigate the effect of study preparation on test anxiety and performance of public health students.Methods: This quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of study preparation on reducing test anxiety and improving the performance of public health students at Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran, in the academic year 2016–2017.All second- and third-year bachelor’s students in public health major were assigned into the intervention (n=20) and control groups (n=25). The assignment was based on the study preparation items and the defined benchmark.Data on general stress and test anxiety were collected by subjective self-assessment via paper-and-pencil surveys in the first week of the semester and before the final exam, respectively.Results: No significant difference was found in the level of general stress between the two groups at the beginning of the semester (p=0.55) based on the study preparation items. The level of test anxiety in the intervention group (47.90) was lower than in the control group (34.64) at the end of the semester (p=0.001). The mean value of exam scores was higher in the intervention group (p=0.015).Conclusions: The intervention reduced the level of test anxiety and improved the performance of students. Faculty members and heads of the departments should help students learn about the study preparation over the semester with engagement in learning-oriented approaches and class activities.Keywords: performance, education, anxiety, study preparation, Iran
