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Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing

Examination Anxiety among Secondary School
Students in South India

Article in The International Journal of Indian Psychology · April 2016

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The International Journal of Indian Psychology
ISSN 2348-5396 (e) | ISSN: 2349-3429 (p)
Volume 3, Issue 3, No.3, DIP: 18.01.044/20160303
ISBN: 978-1-365-03419-0
http://www.ijip.in | April - June, 2016

Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing Examination Anxiety

among Secondary School Students in South India
Suganya Panneerselvam1*, Pitchaimani Govindharaj 2

ABSTRACT

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of guided imaginary techniques on examination anxiety

among the school adolescent’s. Methods: The sample consisted of 60 students (30 were in
control group and 30 were in experimental group) aged 14 to 16 years studying in class IX and X
at matriculation schools in Madurai. The examination anxiety was measured using Test Anxiety
Questionnaire. Results: Of the 30 control group students, 63% had unhealthy anxiety in pretest
and in post test it was 70%, whereas in experimental group, among the 30 students, 57% had
unhealthy anxiety in pretest but in post test it was 0%, there is no unhealthy anxiety. There was a
significant difference seen between control group and experimental group after teaching the
imagery techniques. (Mean score in control group - 34.93, in experimental group - 17.83, P <
0.000). Conclusion: The results indicate that guided imagery technique is effective in reducing
the examination anxiety among school students. And it will help to reduce anxiety of students at
all levels of examination to perform good in their academic especially in board examination.
Further research may help in guide policy on education to improve the teaching methodology
allowing the students to control the anxiety on exam.

Keywords: Test Anxiety, Guided imagery, Secondary School, Adolescents.

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical

1
changes. Anxiety can cause difficulty in concentration and prevent us from recalling material
that we have learned.2 A student who is experiencing test anxiety may do poorly on an exam
even if he or she knows the material better than a classmate who is able to control anxiety.3
American test anxiety association identified, test anxiety in school-aged children as a serious
educational problem in today's society. School-related stress is the most prevalent, untreated
cause of academic failure in our schools. In a class room of 25 students, between one to three

1
M.Sc (Psychiatric Nursing), Lecturer, Surya college of Nursing, Janjgir, Chhattisgarh, India
2
B.P.T., M.Sc (Medical Sociology), Research Scholar, Department of Sociology, Bharathidasan University,
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
*Responding Author
© 2016 I S Panneerselvam, P Govindharaj; licensee IJIP. This is an Open Access Research distributed under the
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any Medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing Examination Anxiety among Secondary School Students
in South India

students are of high risk for developing stress-related problems which would probably interfere
with learning.4

Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in school-aged children and
adolescent’s worldwide.5 The prevalence rates range from 4.0% to 25.0%, with an average rate
of 8.0%.6 Early Indian studies reported prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders among children
ranging from 2.6 to 35.6 per cent.4 Anxiety among students and their parents has been reported to
be on the rise in India, especially among those facing board certification examinations.7

Exam Anxiety is a common phenomenon negatively affecting the academic, emotional, personal
and social lives of almost 20% students across nationalities including India.5 Test anxious
students score poor grades/marks and have poor mental health in comparison to others. It may be
fatal at times. There are reports of deliberate self-harm and suicide by students highlighting the
need for timely intervention.8 Exam anxiety can also be labeled as anticipatory anxiety,
situational anxiety or evaluation anxiety. Some anxiety is normal and often helpful to stay
mentally and physically alert.9

Guided imagery therapy is a cognitive behavioral technique in which under the guided
instructions a client is guided in imagining a relaxing scene or series of experiences.10 It is a
gentle powerful technique more often used to promote relaxation and to provide therapeutic
benefits. It involves the conscious use of imagination to create positive images in order to bring
about healthful changes.11 Numerous clinical observations suggest, it will be effective in helping
individuals learn or modify behaviour such as learning to relax, changing and controlling their
negative emotions in response to a particular situations, event or belief, preparing themselves for
positive changes.10

Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of guided imagery
relaxation technique in reducing examination anxiety among Secondary School Students.

METHODS
The quasi experimental study was conducted with the convenience sample of 60 students
studying in class IX and X standard aged of 14-16 from Ruby Matriculation Higher Secondary
School and HDI Jain Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, over
the period of 2 months in 2012. The students who willing to participate and understand Tamil
and English language were included, among the 60 students, 30 were in experimental group and
30 were in control group.

© The International Journal of Indian Psychology, ISSN 2348-5396 (e)| ISSN: 2349-3429 (p) | 55
Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing Examination Anxiety among Secondary School Students
in South India

Semi-structure interview:
A semi structure questionnaire was used to collect the demographic profile, which includes age,
gender, standard of studying, family monthly income, job of parents, parental expectations,
Religion, relaxation technique, sleeping hours, psychological support and previous failure.

Test anxiety questionnaire:

It was developed by Nist and Diehl (1990) to determine level of student’ test anxiety, it was
consisted of ten items. The questionnaire items have 5 points Likert- like format with the
following coding: Never (1), Rarely (2), Sometimes (3), Often (4), and Always (5). Total Scores
was range from 10 – 50. Score ranged from 10 to 19 low students’ test anxiety. Score ranged
from 20 to 35 moderate students’ test anxiety. Score ranged from 36 to 50 high students’ test
anxiety.12

Procedure:
The researcher underwent the training of guided imagery technique in Valliammal Institution,
Madurai, Tamilnadu, for formal certificate programme. Followed by official permission was
obtained from the authorities of concerned School to conduct this study. The investigator initially
established rapport with the exam going students, followed by each individual student was
informed about the purpose of the study and confidentiality was promised and ensured. Informed
consent was obtained from each individual. The students had the freedom to leave the study by
his/ her wish without assigning any reason. The Ruby school students were selected as
experimental whereas the HDI Jain Matriculation Higher Secondary School as control group.
Demographic profile and Test Anxiety Questionnaire were administered to assess the
Examination Anxiety for both groups and the Guided Imagery Technique was taught only to the
experimental group students about twenty minutes daily for fourteen days. The post test was
conducted after one week of the technique on the second day of examination for the both groups
and the collected data were entered into the excel sheet. The data was analysed by using
descriptive and inferential statistics.

Ethical clearance was obtained from dissertation committee of the C.S.I Jeyaraj Annapackiam
College of Nursing in madurai.

RESULTS
The table 1 shows the students demographical profile of both control and experimental group.
Mostly near to equal distribution of age, sex, and standard in both the control and experimental
group. In both the groups, most of the fathers are working as a private employee and also most
of the mothers were house wife. Most of the students are coming from the urban area and their
family type was nuclear family in maximum number of students. Twenty-two (37%) students
family income was less than 8000 INR, 21 (35%) were in between 8000 – 15000 INR and the
rest of their family income was above 15000 INR.

© The International Journal of Indian Psychology, ISSN 2348-5396 (e)| ISSN: 2349-3429 (p) | 56
Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing Examination Anxiety among Secondary School Students
in South India

Table 1: Demographic profile of 60 students

Demographic variables Control (n=30) Experimental (n=30)
Age 14-15 years 18 (60%) 21 (70%)
15-16 years 12 (40%) 9 (30%)
Sex Male 14 (47%) 15 (50%)
Female 16 (53%) 15 (50%)
Standard of studying 9th Standard 15 (50%) 13 (43%)
10th Standard 15 (50%) 17 (57%)
Father’s occupation Government employee 6 (20%) 3 (10%)
Private employee 18 (60%) 15 (50%)
Business 6 (20%) 12 (40%)
Mothers occupation Government employee 1 (3%) 2 (7%)
Private employee 6 (20%) 5 (17%)
House wife 22 (77%) 23 (76%)
Place of residence Urban 20 (67%) 27 (90%)
Semi-urban 4 (13%) 1 (3%)
Rural 6 (20%) 2 (7%)
Family type Nuclear family 18 (60%) 22 (73%)
Joint family 10 (33%) 6 (20%)
Extended family 2 (7%) 2 (7%)
Family income per month <Rs.8000 13 (43%) 9 (30%)
Rs.8000-15000 8 (27%) 13 (43%)
>Rs.15000 9 (30%) 8 (27%)

Table 2: Detail of student attitude and parental expectation

Control
Demographic variables Experimental (n=30)
(n=30)
Attending relaxation technique Yes 10 (33%) 6 (20%)
No 20 (67%) 24 (80%)
Parental expectation for high scores Yes 23 (77%) 21 (70%)
No 7 (23%) 9 (30%)
Peer group competition Present 22 (73%) 24 (80%)
Absent 8 (27%) 6 (20%)
Previous failure Yes 8 (27%) 11 (37%)
No 22 (73%) 19 (63%)
Any Psychological support Yes 28 (93%) 28 (93%)
No 2 (7%) 2 (7%)
Sleeping time at night before exam ≤6 hours 18 (60%) 14 (47%)
> 6 hours 12 (40%) 16 (53%)
Read only at the time of examination Yes 14 (47%) 13 (43%)
No 16 (53%) 17 (57%)

© The International Journal of Indian Psychology, ISSN 2348-5396 (e)| ISSN: 2349-3429 (p) | 57
Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing Examination Anxiety among Secondary School Students
in South India

Among the control group students, only 10(33%) students are attended the relaxation techniques,
23(77%) of their parents expectation is high in scoring marks and 22(73%) students were had
peer group competition. There is no previous failure in 22 (73%) students, 28 (93%) students are
getting psychological support, 18 (60%) were sleeping less than or equal to 6 hours at night
before exam, and 16 (53%) students are regularly reading. Whereas in experimental group, only
6 (20%) students are attend the relaxation techniques, 21(70%) of their parents expectation is
high in scoring marks and 24 (80%) students were had peer group competition. There is no
previous failure in 19 (63%) students, 28(93%) students are getting psychological support, 16
(53%) were sleeping greater than 6 hours at night before exam, and 17(57%) students are
regularly reading (Table 2).

Table 3: Level of anxiety of the 60 students

Control group Experimental group
Level of anxiety Pre Post Pre Post
f % F % f % F %

No Anxiety (10 -19) 2 7% 0 0% 0 0% 22 73%

Healthy Anxiety(20 – 35) 9 30% 9 30% 13 43% 8 27%

Unhealthy Anxiety (>35) 19 63% 21 70% 17 57% 0 0%

Of the 30 control group students, 19(63%) had unhealthy anxiety, 9(30%) had healthy anxiety
and 2(7%) had no anxiety in pretest. In posttest 21(70%) had unhealthy anxiety, 9(30%) had
healthy anxiety and no one had no anxiety. Whereas in experimental group, among the 30
students, 17(57%) had unhealthy anxiety, 13(43%) had healthy anxiety and no one had no
anxiety in pre test, but in posttest after the intervention 22(73%) had no anxiety, 8(27%) had
healthy anxiety and no one had unhealthy anxiety.

Table 4: Significant of control group and experimental group

Paired ‘t’ test
Control Group Mean SD ‘t’ value p-value
Pre Test 34 7.27
1.721 0.096
Post Test 34.93 5.71
Experimental Group Mean SD ‘t’ value p-value
Pre Test 33 6.06
10.383 0.000**
Post Test 17.83 3.86
Unpaired ‘t’ test
Mean SD ‘t’ value p-value
Control Group 34.93 5.71
11.594 0.000**
Experimental Group 17.83 3.86

© The International Journal of Indian Psychology, ISSN 2348-5396 (e)| ISSN: 2349-3429 (p) | 58
Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing Examination Anxiety among Secondary School Students
in South India

Paired ‘t’ test in control group: The examination anxiety pretest mean score is 34.00
(SD=7.27) and posttest mean score is 34.93(SD=5.71), and the ‘t’ test value is 1.721(P > 0.096)
is not significant.

Paired ‘t’ test in experimental group: The examination anxiety pretest mean score is 33.00
(SD=6.06) and posttest mean score is 17.83 (SD=3.86) and the ‘t’ test value is 10.383(P < 0.000)
which is highly significant.

Unpaired ‘t’ test for control and experimental group: The examination anxiety post test mean
score in control group is 34.93(SD=5.71), in experimental group the posttest mean score is
17.83(SD=3.86) and the ‘t’ test value is 11.594 (P < 0.000) which is highly significant.

DISCUSSION
Teaching guided imagery to children as a first line of defense against the start of worry and
anxiety. Teaching this mindful practice would allow children to gain control of ruminating
thoughts, help them learn to relax at an early age, and teach them to manage stress throughout
life. Learning to practice these techniques at an early age as a lifelong practice may be worth a
pound of prevention against the onset of anxiety and stress that manifest in adulthood.13

In this study, in pretest, 57% had unhealthy anxiety, 43% had healthy anxiety, but in posttest
73% students don’t have anxiety, remaining 27% also had healthy anxiety in experimental group,
because it was improved by guided imagery techniques, In control group on pretest 63% had
unhealthy anxiety, 30% had healthy anxiety and 7% had no anxiety but the unhealthy anxiety
was 70% in post test it shows worsen, 30% had healthy anxiety, and there is no reduction in
anxiety on exam. Similarly Senthil KR et.al (2011) reported that, in pretest 65% of students had
unhealthy anxiety and 35% had healthy anxiety in experimental group and 60% had unhealthy
anxiety and 40% had healthy anxiety in control group. In posttest 25% of students had healthy
anxiety and 75% had no anxiety in experimental group and 60% had unhealthy anxiety and40%
had healthy anxiety in control group.14

In experimental group, the exam anxiety mean score was reduced after guided imagery
techniques ( pre test-33, post test-17.83) but in control group there is no change in mean score
(pre test-34, post test-34.93). There was a significant difference seen in experimental group
before and after guided imaginary techniques (t value-10.383 & p-value-0.000***), whereas in
control group, there is no significant difference seen in pre and post tests (t value-1.721 & p-
value-0.096)). This reveals that guided imagery technique is effective in reducing the
examination anxiety among school students. Similarly Usha et.al (2011), reported that, for
experimental group the reduction in anxiety (75% had no anxiety and 25% had healthy anxiety)
after 14 days intervention training was statistically significant, where as anxiety level was same
to control group.15

© The International Journal of Indian Psychology, ISSN 2348-5396 (e)| ISSN: 2349-3429 (p) | 59
Effectiveness of Guided Imagery in Reducing Examination Anxiety among Secondary School Students
in South India

The above findings revealed that the guided imagery technique has the significant effect in
reducing the examination anxiety.

Further results indicate that, there is no significant association between the level of anxiety and
selected demographic variables among control group and experimental groups, such as age, sex,
standard of studying, parents occupation, religion, place of residence, type of family, relaxation
technique, parental expectation, peer competition, previous failure, psychological support,
sleeping hours before the exam & reading habits before the exam.

CONCLUSION
The results indicate that guided imagery technique is effective in reducing the examination
anxiety among school students. And also it will help to reduce anxiety of students at all levels of
examination to perform good in their academic especially in board examination which is
conducted by state and central government. Further research may help guide policy on education
to improve the teaching methodology allowing the students to control the anxiety on exam.

Acknowledgement:
The authors express sincere thanks to Prof. Mrs. Jancy Rachel Daisy, M.Sc., Ph.D., Professor,
C.S.I Jeyaraj Annapackiam College of Nursing in Madurai and Senthil kumar, Physiotherapist,
The Leprosy Mission Hospital, Champa, Chatisgarah for their guidance and support. We also
thank to all participants for their extended co-operation and support.

Contribution of Each Author

Mrs. Suganya P involved in study conceptualization and design, preparing the semi structural
questionnaires, getting approval and ethical clearance, data collection, and preparation of the
manuscript.

Mr. Pitchaimani G involved in analysis and interpretation of data and preparation of the
manuscript.

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in South India

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© The International Journal of Indian Psychology, ISSN 2348-5396 (e)| ISSN: 2349-3429 (p) | 61

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