Effects of Expressive Writing About Previous Negative Test Experiences on Test Anxiety and Performance

Test anxiety significantly impedes academic performance, yet the role of expressive writing (EW) in mitigating this anxiety remains underexplored. This randomized controlled trial study hypothesized that EW about past negative test experiences would reduce state test anxiety and improve performance. We assigned 197 Chinese senior high school students to EW or control groups and they completed ten-minute daily writing exercises for three days before their semester examination. Contrary to expectations, EW did not significantly reduce state test anxiety one day before the examination or enhance performance. Nevertheless, our results showed that poorer performance on a prior test, and especially lower satisfaction with that performance, were associated with higher anxiety for the subsequent test, suggesting that feelings about prior examinations continue to impact upcoming ones. Thus, EW focused on feelings (e.g., satisfaction) about prior tests may still be beneficial. Exploratory analyses also revealed a robust inverse relationship between state test anxiety and examination scores, underscoring the importance of anxiety management. Future studies could examine the long-term potential of EW tailored to specific cultural contexts and explore complementary interventions, such as self-compassion writing aimed at enhancing satisfaction with past test performance, to more effectively reduce test anxiety.