Test anxiety unplugged: Evaluating a brief web-based intervention for college students

Objective: This study evaluated the impact of a brief, self-guided web-based platform designed to reduce test anxiety among college students within a single classroom session. Participants: A convenience sample of 145 undergraduate students (76% female, 24% male; ages 18–42) enrolled in a mid-sized Midwestern U.S. university participated in this study. Methods: A one-group pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design was used. Students completed the Westside Test Anxiety Scale immediately before and after they interacted with the brief web-based platform. The platform was developed by the authors and grounded primarily in cognitive-behavioral therapy, while incorporating elements of mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches. Dependent t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to determine changes in test anxiety scores for all participants, and for subgroups created by participants’ gender and baseline anxiety severity. Results: A statistically significant decrease in test anxiety scores was observed from pretest to posttest. Improvements were observed across gender groups, with students exhibiting moderate or high baseline anxiety showing the greatest reductions. In contrast, students with low initial test anxiety demonstrated minimal or no change. Conclusions: These findings support the short-term potential impact of the brief web-based platform used in this study to address test anxiety, particularly among students with elevated baseline symptoms. Future research should explore long-term outcomes, user engagement, and inclusive design considerations.