Effect of a school-based test anxiety intervention in ethnic minority youth exposed to Hurricane Katrina

This study tested the effects of a school-based test anxiety intervention among ethnic minority youth. The study used a prospective intervention design with a sample of (N = 94) ninth graders from New Orleans exposed to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Thirty youth with elevated test anxiety completed a primarily behavioral (e.g., relaxation training combined with gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking test-related stimuli) group administered, test anxiety reduction intervention. Results indicated a significant effect of the intervention on test anxiety and academic performance. Moreover, change in test anxiety predicted change in post traumatic stress symptoms (PTS) and there appeared to be no negative effects on natural PTS symptom decline. Results are discussed in terms of the potential utility of school-based test anxiety interventions in fostering school success in ethnic minority students, in post-disaster environments and in anxiety prevention efforts.