Examining exam anxiety: how disadvantage impacts performance

An exam paper lands on a desk. Hearts race, breaths quicken and minds blur into a whirlwind of panic. An otherwise diligent student can’t seem to remember anything they’ve studied and doesn’t perform as well as their capabilities suggest they should. 

This experience is familiar to many students who grapple with test anxiety. But the intensity of test anxiety, and its impact on performance, is not uniform. 

In this blog post, we discuss how and why test anxiety seems to have a bigger impact on students from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Test anxiety

Ensuring equal education opportunities is essential for students’ future success and wellbeing. Despite this, disparities persist in higher education, with students from disadvantaged backgrounds experiencing  lower academic outcomes and higher rates of mental health issues. There are a variety of reasons for this. Heightened test anxiety may be one. 

‘Test anxiety’ refers to the fear students feel when they know that a test will assess their performance, and can cause worse test performance and poorer mental health.  

Recent research has found that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are both more prone to test anxiety and are more impacted by it. There are several reasons why this might be the case. Disadvantaged students have less access to preparation resources, such as private tutors and nurturing home environments.

These students also face increased fear that if they perform badly, they confirm negative stereotypes about the academic ability of ‘their group’ (for example race or gender groups) which can create internal pressure to defy these stereotypes. The pressure to succeed, coupled with the fear of failure and limited access to resources, can become a significant burden, hindering students’ ability to perform at their best.

Students who have financial concerns, face discrimination, or lack access to adequate study materials will find it harder to focus on exams. This additional stress not only affects performance but can also erode confidence and self-belief. Inequality can create barriers, preventing students from realising their full potential, and perpetuating a cycle where disadvantaged students struggle to break free from their circumstances.

How can higher education providers help?

Educational institutions and educators can play a positive role in minimising test anxiety and the burden on disadvantaged students. 

First, they can address the reasons tests create anxiety in the first place. Modifying the assessment structure, minimising high-stakes testing and introducing smaller-stakes quizzes and formative assessments would reduce pressures associated with taking tests. Tests could also be replaced by alternative assessment methods like problem sets and essays. 

Second, classroom interventions, such as helping to re-appraise approaches to stress, and adopting mentorship programmes can make a world of difference. 

Finally, educational institutions can also help by creating an inclusive and supportive environment. This means providing equal access to resources and offering mental health support where needed. 

Addressing the impact of test anxiety on disadvantaged students is one way we can break the chain of inequality in higher education. By fostering supportive environments, educational institutions can empower every student to overcome barriers and reach their full potential. 

Author Details:

Dr Shaun Boustani. Research Fellow. Research Department of Medical Education, Medical School, University College London.