Researcher Finds Easy Solution for Test Anxiety.

[elleng]

A simple writing exercise can relieve students of test anxiety and may help them get better scores than their less anxious classmates, a new study has found. . .

The researchers believe worrying competes for computing power in the brain's "working," or short-term, memory. If working memory is focused on worrying, it can't help a person recall all the information his brain stored in preparation for the test. It also affects the working memory's ability to stay focused.

Beilock said the idea for the writing exercise came from the use of writing to combat depression.

Expressive writing, in which people write repeatedly about a traumatic or emotional experience over several weeks or months, has been shown to decrease worrying in people who are depressed.

Beilock believes this research is applicable to all kinds of performance anxiety — from giving a speech to interviewing for a job.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/01/13/science/AP-US-SCI-Test-Anxiety.html?ref=aponline