Text Anxiety Questionnaire

Nist and Diehl (1990) developed a short questionnaire for determining if a student experiences a mild or severe case of test anxiety. To complete the evaluation, read through each statement and reflect upon past testing experiences. You may wish to consider all testing experiences or focus on a particular subject (history, science, math, etc.) one at a time. Indicate how often each statement describes you by choosing a number from one to five as outlined below [note that the numbers are in reverse order compared to the previous questionnaire on stress vulnerability].

• ___ I have visible signs of nervousness such as sweaty palms, shaky hands, and so on right before a test.
• ___ I have "butterflies" in my stomach before a test.
• ___ I feel nauseated before a test.
• ___ I read through the test and feel that I do not know any of the answers.
• ___ I panic before and during a test.
• ___ My mind goes blank during a test.
• ___ I remember the information that I blanked on once I get out of the testing situation.
• ___ I have trouble sleeping the night before a test.
• ___ I make mistakes on easy questions or put answers in the wrong places.
• ___ I have difficulty choosing answers.

Now add up your score on all the statements. Scores will range from 10 to 50. A low score (10-19 points) indicates that you do not suffer from test anxiety. In fact, if your score was extremely low (close to 10), a little more anxiety may be healthy to keep you focused and to get your blood flowing during exams. Scores between 20 and 35 indicate that, although you exhibit some of the characteristics of test anxiety, the level of stress and tension is probably healthy. Scores over 35 suggest that you are experiencing an unhealthy level of test anxiety. You should evaluate the reason(s) for the distress and identify strategies for compensating.