Effectiveness of Psychodrama on Exam Anxiety in Students with Different Coping Styles

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of psychodrama in reducing test anxiety among high school students with different coping styles, including problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidance coping.

Methods and Materials: The study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The sample consisted of 32 female high school students in Ahvaz, selected through multistage cluster random sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 16) and control (n = 16) groups. The experimental group participated in 12 psychodrama sessions, while the control group received no intervention. The Sarason Test Anxiety Scale (1985) was used to measure test anxiety levels, and the Lazarus Coping Strategies Questionnaire (1985) assessed coping styles. Data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA and ANCOVA), controlling for pre-test scores.

Findings: The results indicated a significant effect of psychodrama on test anxiety across different coping styles. Students with an emotion-focused coping style in the experimental group exhibited a significant reduction in test anxiety (adjusted post-test mean = 93.45) compared to the control group (adjusted post-test mean = 111.59) (p < 0.001). However, students with problem-focused and avoidance coping styles in the experimental group experienced an increase in test anxiety, with adjusted post-test means of 101.50 and 49.14, respectively, compared to 87.08 and 38.52 in the control group (p < 0.001). These results suggest that psychodrama is particularly effective for students with emotion-focused coping styles but may initially increase anxiety in those with problem-focused and avoidance coping styles.

Conclusion: Psychodrama is an effective intervention for reducing test anxiety, particularly among students with emotion-focused coping styles. However, its impact on students with problem-focused and avoidance coping styles suggests that therapeutic approaches should be tailored based on coping mechanisms.