The literature reviewed suggests an attentional interpretation, of the adverse effects which test anxiety has on task performance. During task performance the highly test-anxious person divides his attention between self-relevant and task-relevant variables, in contrast to the low-test-anxious person who focuses his attention more fully on the task. This interpretation was supported by literature from diverse areas suggesting that (a) highly anxious persons are generally more self-preoccupied than are people low in anxiety; (b) the selffocusing tendencies of highly test-anxious persons are activated in testing situations; (c) those situational conditions in which the greatest performance differences occur are ones which elicit the self-focusing tendencies of highly test-anxious subjects, and the task-focusing tendencies of low-anxious subjects; (d) research examining the relationship between anxiety and task variables suggests that anxiety reduces the range of task cues utilized in performance; (e) \"worry,\" an attentionally demanding cognitive activity, is more debilitating of task performance than is autonomic arousal. Treatment and research implications of this attentional interpretation of test anxiety are briefly discussed.

Test anxiety and direction of attention.

https://psycnet.apa.org/journals/ccp/39/3/370.pdf

Cognitive modification of test anxious college students.

Used meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of bibliotherapy. Bibliotherapy treatments were compared to control groups and therapist-administered treatments. The mean estimated effect size (d) of the 70 samples analyzed was +0.565. There was no significant differences between the effects of bibliotherapy and therapist-administered treatments, as well as no significant erosion of effect sizes at follow-up. Bibliotherapy did appear more effective for certain problem types (assertion training, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction) than for others (weight loss, impulse control, and studying problems). Overall, the amount of therapist contact during bibliotherapy did not seem to relate to effectiveness, but there was evidence that certain problem types (weight loss and anxiety reduction) responded better with increased therapist contact. Recommendations for future research were given, especially for more research on the commonly purchased books and moderator analyses by personality type and reading ability.

/pdf/a-meta-analysis-of-bibliotherapy-studies-4glkinnfxe.pdf

A meta-analysis of bibliotherapy studies

Behavioral Bibliotherapy: A Review of Self-Help Behavior Therapy Manuals.

Self-help materials, brief therapies, and treatments involving minimal therapist contact have all been proposed as effective and low-cost interventions for anxiety disorders. However, research suggests that the therapeutic alliance is a central predictor of therapy outcome. Interestingly, amounts of therapist contact within and across "self-help" interventions vary greatly. It is therefore unclear how much therapist contact is necessary for a positive anxiety disorder treatment outcome. The present article reviews the literature on anxiety disorder treatments using self-help, self-administered, and decreased therapist contact interventions. Treatment studies are grouped together by anxiety diagnostics as well as amount of therapist contact. It is concluded that self-administered treatments are most effective for motivated clients seeking treatment for simple phobias. Predominantly self-help therapies are efficacious for panic disorder and mixed anxiety samples. On the other hand, minimal contact therapies have demonstrated efficacy for the greatest variety of anxiety diagnoses.

Sherwin B. Cotler

Papers

Systematic desensitization of test anxiety.

Sex differences and generalization of anxiety reduction with automated de-sensitization and minimal therapist interaction☆

The generalization of anxiety reduction following systematic desensitization of snake anxiety.