THE USE OF STRESS INOCULATION IN THE TREATMENT OF TEST ANXIETY IN OLDER STUDENTS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Elderly students (n = 29), aged 50‐67, with self‐reported problems of test anxiety were randomly assigned to their stress inoculation training, attention placebo, or waiting‐list control conditions. Treatment rationales were equally credible across groups. Results suggested that while stress inoculation training was not singularly effective in reducing test anxiety, variations in such within its treatment group only were correlated with improvements in performance on the Letter Sets Test, a measure of fluid ability. No such interactions occurred in the attention placebo or control groups. Data are discussed with reference to the efficacy of cognitive interventions as a means by which to facilitate adult intellectual performance, and suggestions for future research in this area are offered.