Psychological analysis of risk factors and protective factors under exam stress
Bikadamova Anar Kuanganovna
Al-Farabi Kasakh National University, Almaty City, Republic of Kazakhstan.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1486-9092
Horst Konrad Reschke
University of Leipzig, Germany.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4635-3007
Garber Alena
Klinik Reinhardshöhe, 34537 Bad Wildungen, Quellenstraße, Germany.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9582-6934
Moldakhmentova Zulkiya
Astana IT University, The Republic of Kazakhstan.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9453-6129
Shalabayeva Laura Ismailbekovna
Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2231-7888
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20448/jeelr.v10i4.5243
Keywords: Exam fear, Protective factors, Resilience, Risk factors, Self-efficacy, Stress tolerance, Stressors, Wellbeing.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to identify protective factors for students' anxiety management under exam stress. Students experience a range of negative emotions in addition to exam anxiety throughout university exams including stress, fear of knowledge assessments and fear of low performance. However, students ‘exam preparation and passing can be changed by identifying protective factors for exam stress coping while focusing less on reducing risk factors. Possible protective factors for exam anxiety coping in the present study were resilience, self-efficacy, stress tolerance, overall life satisfaction and coping behavior. In general, our assumption was confirmed that stress tolerance, proactive coping behavior, overall life satisfaction and resilience are the most important factors in overcoming exam fear. Self-efficacy as a latent factor that has a significant impact on overcoming exam fear was not identified. The study validated that stress tolerance, proactive coping, life satisfaction and resilience are pivotal in conquering exam-related fear. However, self-efficacy did not emerge as a significant factor.