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Addressing Test Anxiety in High-Achieving Schools: A Research-Based Approach
Benjamin J Lovett1, Sybille Bruun-Moss2, Cathy Urinyi1
1Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 27, 2026
Summary
High-achieving schools can increase academic pressure and test anxiety. This review explores anxiety triggers in these settings and offers evidence-based strategies for intervention.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Education
Background:
- High-achieving schools often correlate with elevated academic pressure and anxiety.
- Understanding the mechanisms linking high-achieving environments to anxiety is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review features of high-achieving schools that contribute to anxiety.
- To present facts about test anxiety, avoidance behaviors, and performance.
- To propose a model for intervening in high-achieving settings.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of research on high-achieving schools and anxiety.
- Synthesis of empirical data on test anxiety and its correlates.
- Development of an intervention model.
Main Results:
- Specific school features can exacerbate anxiety and test anxiety.
- Test anxiety is linked to avoidance behaviors and impacts test performance.
- A framework for applying evidence-based interventions in these settings is presented.
Conclusions:
- Intervention strategies can be tailored to address test anxiety in high-achieving schools.
- Addressing anxiety is key to supporting student well-being and performance.
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