Relaxation as Self-Control in the Treatment of Test and other Anxieties

Abstract

The effectiveness of relaxation as self-control in the treatment of test anxiety was evaluated using each of 11 volunteer college students as his own control. Anxiety level was unchanged over the no-treatment period. Significant reduction in self-reported debilitating test anxiety and improvement in facilitating test anxiety were found after treatment. Significant posttreatment reductions were noted for other anxieties as well. This latter finding suggested that during training in relaxation as self-control Ss may have learned a general, trans-situational anxiety-reduction strategy. Extensions using measures other than self-reports of anxiety, however, are required.