Test anxiety: state, trait and relationship with exam satisfaction

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Test anxiety is a common reaction to evaluation situations.
• Understanding anxiety fluctuations during exams is crucial for medical students.
• Pre-existing anxiety traits may influence in-exam anxiety levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the pattern of anxiety symptom fluctuation during an Ophthalmology clinical examination.
• To investigate the relationship between anxiety symptoms and pre-existing anxiety traits in medical students.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to fourth-year medical students post-Ophthalmology clinical examination.
• Anxiety traits were assessed six weeks later using the STAI instrument.
• Data from 63 students were analyzed to identify anxiety patterns and correlations.

Main Results:

• Most anxiety symptoms peaked 10 minutes prior to the exam, showing a subsequent decline.
• Students with pre-existing anxiety traits exhibited higher anxiety scores during the examination.
• Trembling was the only symptom that did not peak before the exam.

Conclusions:

• Anticipatory anxiety is a significant concern affecting student performance.
• Targeted interventions are needed to support students experiencing test anxiety.
• Further research is recommended to fully understand and address test anxiety in medical education.