Examining the Relationship between Test Anxiety, Cortisol, and fear-extinction in students
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Test Anxiety is one of the most common occurrences in an education setting, affecting an estimated 40-60% of students (Harris & Coy, 2003). Test Anxiety is a type of performance anxiety which has emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological components (Conneely & Hughes, 2010). Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands released in response to stressors. The relationship between test anxiety and cortisol is unclear. A meta-analysis found a small, but significant relationship between test anxiety and cortisol levels (Roos, 2021). However, others have found no relationship between test anxiety and cortisol (Conneely & Hughes, 2010). Cortisol also has an uncertain relationship with fear-extinction. Endogenouscortisol has been shown to increase startle response during fear extinction (Tabbert, 2010). However, administering cortisol to participants provides different results. One study found that when cortisol was administered it produced a diminished startle response during extinction compared to the placebo group (Merz et al., 2018). Similarly, another study saw that administration of cortisol decreased skin conductance response (SCR) duringextinction (Brueckner, 2019). The relationship between fear-extinction and test anxiety has not been examined.
The aim of the current study is to use the fear-potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm to examine the relationship among students’ self-reported test anxiety, cortisol, and fear extinction.Extinction in a psychological study involves a reduction in fear responding after repeated exposure to the threat cue (CS+) without the US (reinforced) pairing. The FPS paradigm is well established as a noninvasive tool to measure amygdala activity and characterize biological correlates of fear learning. In the current study, participants were divided by test anxiety (High, Low) and cortisol level (High, Low). Participants underwent four trials of fear-extinction. Test anxiety was measured using the Westside Test Anxiety Scale (Driscoll, 2004) and saliva samples were taken at baseline before testing. Saliva samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The data will be analyzed to determine the relationship among test anxiety, cortisol, and fear-extinction. The results are predicted to clarify the relationship among fear learning and physiological measures related to test anxiety.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Ebony Glover
Additional Faculty
Sharon Pearcey, Spearcey@kennesaw.edu
Examining the Relationship between Test Anxiety, Cortisol, and fear-extinction in students
Test Anxiety is one of the most common occurrences in an education setting, affecting an estimated 40-60% of students (Harris & Coy, 2003). Test Anxiety is a type of performance anxiety which has emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological components (Conneely & Hughes, 2010). Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands released in response to stressors. The relationship between test anxiety and cortisol is unclear. A meta-analysis found a small, but significant relationship between test anxiety and cortisol levels (Roos, 2021). However, others have found no relationship between test anxiety and cortisol (Conneely & Hughes, 2010). Cortisol also has an uncertain relationship with fear-extinction. Endogenouscortisol has been shown to increase startle response during fear extinction (Tabbert, 2010). However, administering cortisol to participants provides different results. One study found that when cortisol was administered it produced a diminished startle response during extinction compared to the placebo group (Merz et al., 2018). Similarly, another study saw that administration of cortisol decreased skin conductance response (SCR) duringextinction (Brueckner, 2019). The relationship between fear-extinction and test anxiety has not been examined.
The aim of the current study is to use the fear-potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm to examine the relationship among students’ self-reported test anxiety, cortisol, and fear extinction.Extinction in a psychological study involves a reduction in fear responding after repeated exposure to the threat cue (CS+) without the US (reinforced) pairing. The FPS paradigm is well established as a noninvasive tool to measure amygdala activity and characterize biological correlates of fear learning. In the current study, participants were divided by test anxiety (High, Low) and cortisol level (High, Low). Participants underwent four trials of fear-extinction. Test anxiety was measured using the Westside Test Anxiety Scale (Driscoll, 2004) and saliva samples were taken at baseline before testing. Saliva samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The data will be analyzed to determine the relationship among test anxiety, cortisol, and fear-extinction. The results are predicted to clarify the relationship among fear learning and physiological measures related to test anxiety.