Exam anxiety in students: the problem of methodological support for studying the issue
DOI: 10.23951/2307-6127-2026-2-162-172
The paper reveals the problem of methodological support for the study of exam stress among students. It is indicated that exam anxiety is a relatively stable emotional reaction to an upcoming event (exam) as a specific difficult life situation; it is the result of a subjective assessment of the probability of successful completion of the test. The thesis on the insufficient validity of general anxiety measurement methods for assessing specific experiences related to the situation of academic tests is substantiated. The authors’ attention is focused on the search for specialized diagnostic tools aimed at studying the phenomenon of exam anxiety. As part of the analytical review, the existing tools for the diagnosis of anxiety conditions have been systematized, from questionnaires and clinical scales (such as Manifest Anxiety Scale; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale; Zung Anxiety Rating Scale; School Anxiety Scale; Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Test Anxiety Questionnaire and others), to psychophysiological methods (such as electroencephalographic method, polygraphic examination), and their key limitations in the context of the problem under study are highlighted. The main ones are the non-specificity of survey methods for assessing exam anxiety; the complexity and energy consumption of implementing methods of conversation and observation for the purpose of studying anxiety caused by the exam situation; the need for special expensive equipment when conducting research using hardware methods. It has been revealed that the solution to the problem of methodological support for the study of exam stress in students is answered by the Achievement-Anxiety Test by R. Alpert and R. Haber. Its substantial potential and prospects of adaptation for the Russian-speaking sample are considered. The necessity of developing and validating a specialized psychodiagnostic tool aimed at a comprehensive assessment of exam stress among university students is substantiated. The solution to the problem determines the possibilities for the subsequent creation of effective correctional and preventive programs for university students.
Keywords: stress, student, anxiety psychodiagnostics, exam anxiety test, exam stress, exam anxiety
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Issue: 2, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 2
Rubric: PSYCHOLOGY
Pages: 162 — 172
Downloads: 8