Positive Cognition and Timing of Self-Administered App for Test-Taking Anxiety

A self-administered application was designed to reduce anxiety using a modified Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) model. The purpose of this study was to calibrate the EMDR web application for timing and desired self-belief to reduce test taking anxiety prior to an academic exam. Five classrooms of 9th grade students from a convenience sample (N=132) were randomly assigned to different timing groups of EMDR exposure (30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, and 5 minutes). One minute was identified as the ideal time for exposure. "I got this" was selected from 5 choices (I'm good enough; I'm smart enough; I can do this; I got this; and I'm ok) and a self-reported other as the desired self-belief phrase before an examination as well as in daily life. This information was used to test the application for efficacy before an algebra examination in the next phase of research and can be applied both in a group classroom setting and individually.