Evaluation of subjects with exam anxiety and healthy controls using the Beier Sentence Completion Test as a projective method: a different perspective on the causes of exam anxiety

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with exam anxiety that may contribute to exam anxiety in children and adolescents who present to the clinic. Additionally, this study planned to compare the attitudes and behavior dynamics of individuals with exam anxiety and co-occurring psychiatric disorders with those who have isolated exam anxiety using the Beier Sentence Completion Test (BCT). Material and Methods: The study sample consisted of girls and boys aged 8-18 who presented to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic of Health Sciences University Ankara Training and Research Hospital between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, with complaints of exam anxiety. The BCT, the Children’s Anxiety Disorder Screening Scale (SCARED), and the Children’s Depression Scale (SCARED) were administered to the patients. Results: The BCT-negative total score of the exam anxiety and comorbid diagnosis group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p=0.001). The BCT-neutral total score of the exam anxiety and comorbid diagnosis group was significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001). The distribution of the BCT self- and ability-related attitude in the exam anxiety group was significantly more negative (p=0.008). The distribution of the BCT attitude toward the mother in the exam anxiety group was significantly more negative (p=0.012). Conclusion: Exam anxiety is a common public mental health issue in Türkiye, a country where exams and testing are frequent. Children and adolescents with exam anxiety tend to interpret external stimuli more negatively, with neutral interpretations being less frequent. The negative evaluation of one’s self and abilities is an important factor that clinicians should consider. The negative attitude toward the mother in relation to parental attitudes emphasizes the role of parental attitudes in exam anxiety.