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Full-Text Articles in Counseling

This Is Just A Test: Overcoming High-Stakes Test Anxiety Through Relaxation And Gum Chewing When Preparing For The Act, Heidi A. Larson, Sharon Y. Kim, Rob Mckinney, Alyssa Swan, Adriane Moody, Keri L. Offenstein, Deb German, Sarah Puchalski Jan 2014

This Is Just A Test: Overcoming High-Stakes Test Anxiety Through Relaxation And Gum Chewing When Preparing For The Act, Heidi A. Larson, Sharon Y. Kim, Rob Mckinney, Alyssa Swan, Adriane Moody, Keri L. Offenstein, Deb German, Sarah Puchalski

Heidi A. Larson

This study was a replication of a previous study (in which) participants were given relaxation and deep breathing training to help manage test anxiety. The study examined the correlations between relaxation strategies, gum chewing and variables including socioeconomic status, class rank, GPA, and importance of going to college. Participants included 96 high school students (36 males, 60 females), preparing for the ACT (American College Testing). Results indicated that the relaxation intervention had a significant effect in reducing test anxiety.


Altruism, Commitment, And Leadership In High School Mentors, Rob Mkinney, Heidi A. Larson, J. Adriane Moody, Margaret F. Schwartzkopf, Aaron D. Hale, Steven R. Conn Jan 2014

Altruism, Commitment, And Leadership In High School Mentors, Rob Mkinney, Heidi A. Larson, J. Adriane Moody, Margaret F. Schwartzkopf, Aaron D. Hale, Steven R. Conn

Heidi A. Larson

This study investigated the effects of mentoring on selected attributes among high school mentors. Three attributes were explored: altruism, commitment to school, and student leadership. Seventy-four high school juniors and seniors participated as mentors to high school freshmen students. Mentors participated in a leadership training program prior to beginning their mentoring activities. Pre- and post-test measures of the three attributes were administered. Results showed no significant increase in altruism or commitment scores. Unexpectedly, the mentoring experience produced a significant decrease in the perception of leadership scores. Implications for implementing a mentoring program in a high school setting are discussed.