Cognitive behavior modification and modeling for test anxiety.

11 male and 37 female test-anxious undergraduates were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental or 2 control conditions: (a) a core treatment, which consisted of D. H. Meichenbaum's (1972) cognitive behavior modification and study skills training, (b) the core treatment plus videotaped modeling, (c) the core treatment plus rehearsal modeling, (d) study skills control, and (e) waiting list control. On self-report measures, treated groups improved more than controls, with the rehearsal modeling condition ranking first among the treatments. No treatment led to significant improvement in academic performance, a finding consistent with the majority of test anxiety studies which have used grades as a dependent variable. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Variations in cognitive behavior modification for test anxiety.

D. Meichenbaum's (see record 1973-20259-001) cognitive behavior modification treatment for test anxiety consists of a cognitive (insight) and a behavioral (modified desensitization) component. In the present experiment with 45 undergraduates, variations on the insight and the behavioral component of the program were examined. Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment or 2 control groups. One group received Meichenbaum's cognitive behavior modification treatment. For a 2nd group, Meichenbaum's desensitization component was retained, but the insight component was altered by substituting specific statements concerning pressure. In the 3rd group, Meichenbaum's insight component was retained and test-taking practice was substituted for the desensitization component. All treatment groups also received study-skills training. Multiple self-report and performance measures of anxiety were obtained. The combination of Meichenbaum's insight component with test-taking practice was most effective in increasing facilitating anxiety and decreasing debilitating anxiety. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is it the cognitive or the behavioral component which makes cognitive–behavior modification effective in test anxiety?

Seven male and 17 female university students were treated for test anxiety to study desensitization and cognitive components of D. Meichenbaum's cognitive–behavior modification treatment for test anxiety (see record 1973-20259-001) varied in a 2?×?2 factorial design. The resultant conditions were (a) desensitization only, (b) cognitive only, (c) the combination cognitive plus desensitization, and (d) neither cognitive nor desensitization (control). Each S was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Outcome measures included the Liebert-Morris Test Anxiety Scale, self-ratings of emotionality and worry, and a digit symbol performance task. Combined cognitive treatment and desensitization were less effective than the cognitive-only treatments. Results are consistent with traditional theories of test anxiety and antithetical to a recent behavioral reformulation of test anxiety theory. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)