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Reduction of Test Anxiety by Using Mandalas: A Pilot Study

This study investigated the use of a mandala drawing activity to reduce test anxiety in a small group of fifth grade students. A group of six students both boys and girls from a private North Florida School participated in the 4 week pilot study which met 5 times. The participants were given a pretest survey, the Children`s Test Anxiety Scale (CTAS), to evaluate how often the students experience test anxiety. The survey was given during the first session approximately 2 weeks prior to the initiation of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). Three meetings consisted of an introduction to the mandala activity and opportunities for the students to create their own mandalas. One of these meetings allowed the students to create a mandala immediately before the first section of the FCAT was administered. The students completed the CTAS as a posttest during the final meeting. The scores of the post-evaluation were compared to the pre-evaluation scores in reference to the change in test anxiety levels due to the mandala activity. The results show some reduction in levels of test anxiety which when analyzed with a t-test did not show significance. The qualitative data collected through the form of behaviors displayed in the meetings demonstrated an overall improvement experienced during the course of the program. Suggestions for further research and suggestions for art therapy practitioners were discussed. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2012. / June 28, 2012. / Anxiety, Art Therapy, FCAT, Mandala, Test Anxiety / Includes bibliographical references. / Marcia Rosal, Professor Directing Thesis; David Gussak, Committee Member; Tom Anderson, Committee Member.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_182796
ContributorsCampbell, Anna C. (authoraut), Rosal, Marcia (professor directing thesis), Gussak, David (committee member), Anderson, Tom (committee member), Department of Art Education (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution)
PublisherFlorida State University, Florida State University
Source SetsFlorida State University
LanguageEnglish, English
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, text
Format1 online resource, computer, application/pdf
RightsThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them.

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