Adolescence is a period in which innovations occur, developments are experienced for the transition to adulthood, and a person struggles for independence, which is described as the most difficult period. In addition, it is considered to be a very important period in terms of development, as it is a period in which rapid and unexpected changes occur both physically and psychosocially, and in which the personality structure is formed to a large extent. The individual overcomes the crises created by all these developments, innovations and expectations with the ego power he has developed up to that point. He needs to achieve personality integrity, and for this integrity he needs to remove his contradictions. All these turmoils occur in the first years of adolescence.
The young individual, who is developing in every aspect, wants to develop and realize himself intensively, to have his identity, to be involved in social events and to think hard. Adolescence is a period of development in which, in addition to physical and hormonal changes, negative emotions such as anxiety, shyness, loneliness, guilt, depression and anger are intensely experienced. Moreover, he intensely encounters a feeling of anxiety when he tries to find solutions to all these problems.
Anxiety can seriously negatively affect an individual's life. With his/her life, the possibility of behavioral disorders and an incompatible life emerges. One of the places where anxiety is experienced most intensely is exam anxiety. This situation may be the most serious obstacle to educational success.
Exam anxiety is a very current issue that is experienced intensively in preparation for education and training and brings with it many negativities, and it is an important issue for students in the second stage of primary education in choosing their profession in the following years. It is also very important for them to think about the important steps they will take. When we look at the education system in our country, we can say that the system has become completely exam-based. If we consider the increase in the number of exams in recent years, there are statistics to support this. A 22-year-old young person has an average of 16 years of education; first stage of primary education (average of 8 lessons, 6 exams for each course in 1 year), second stage of primary education (average of 13 lessons, 3 exams for each lesson), high school (average of 16 lessons, Approximately 1,138 exams are taken in 16 years, including 6 exams in 1 year for each course) and at the university (16 courses on average, 6 exams in 1 year).
The importance of exams is increasing, and the attitudes of families and teachers depend on this increase. It may change. The problems experienced by the student regarding academic success can negatively affect the student himself, as well as his family, economically, socially and psychologically.
Physiologically, a person with exam anxiety; insomnia, palpitations, nightmares, sweating, nausea, headache, etc. While symptoms are observed, behaviorally; Symptoms such as tension, irritability, anger, pessimism, unhappiness, reluctance, and indifference appear.
Cognitively, the individual;
• I won't be successful in this exam,
• Everything will be messed up at the end of this exam,
• Everyone in the class is smarter than me,
• If I fail this exam, I will never be able to improve my grades again.
• I may forget everything I know during the exam. How do I look at your face? Some negative thoughts such as these may develop.
According to cognitive behavioral theory, anxiety is often accompanied by an irrational belief that a worrying situation will be terrible and will result in disaster in children and adolescents who tend to catastrophize or exaggerate the events they encounter. Interpersonal relationship anxiety, test anxiety and speech anxiety can be observed in children and adolescents due to their belief that social rejection and academic failure are "terrible".
As a result; The impact of exam anxiety on individuals, as well as anxiety about development and identity during adolescence, is obvious. As the importance of exams increases, the level of anxiety will also increase. We can state that it may have negative psychological consequences, and in some cases it will also have physiological consequences. Behavioral disorders, cognitive errors and negative thoughts can reduce the level of success both personally and academically.
Read: 0
