Test anxiety happens when kids feel ongoing stress over tests.
It’s common in kids who learn and think differently.
Test anxiety doesn’t mean kids have a general anxiety problem.
It’s natural for kids to sometimes feel stressed about taking tests and exams, especially if the stakes are high. But when the stress is ongoing, it can lead to test anxiety.
With test anxiety, kids worry in advance about doing poorly — sometimes to the point of dreading going to school on test day. Any child can have it, but test anxiety is common in kids who learn and think differently. (So is general anxiety.)
Kids with differences may struggle with skills needed for taking tests or with understanding the material. And if they have a history of not doing well on tests, it can increase the fear of failure.
Test anxiety may begin days or even weeks before the test and build as the time gets closer. It can interfere with studying or other schoolwork. And the anxiety itself can affect how well kids do on tests.
Having test anxiety doesn’t mean kids have an anxiety problem — especially if their worrying is limited to this one area. But it can still take a toll on their well-being and self-esteem.
What is test anxiety?
Test anxiety shows up in different ways and at unexpected times. It can also look different at different ages. Sometimes, it may not be clear that the behavior is directly tied to test-taking.
Kids who learn and think differently may have test anxiety because of their challenges and past experiences. It’s also common for them to have a bigger anxiety problem that fuels their worries about tests and fear of failing.
Anxiety often co-occurs with certain learning and behavior challenges. These include ADHD, dyslexia, slow processing speed, and sensory processing issues. Researchers are looking into why these conditions often happen together. Get information on:
There are lots of ways to help kids learn to manage test anxiety. And there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of stress around taking tests.
It’s important for parents and teachers to share information about what they’re seeing. Then they can work together to give kids the best support. Strategies that work in one setting might also help in the other.
