JEDDAH, 28 May 2006 — Final exams have always been a nightmare for students. Dread is the normal feeling until the exams are over and the results are satisfactory. Sometimes, however, the case becomes serious and dread turns to examophobia.
“A certain amount of fear is normal and it motivates students to study for their exams and get good marks,” said Sahar Al-Shawwa, a psychologist and student adviser in Dar Al-Fikr Schools. “Sometimes extreme fear and anxiety have a negative effect and block students’ memories even if they are well-prepared.”
Examophobia affects not only poor students; some very good straight-A students fear that the questions will be so difficult that they will not be able to answer them. They feel pessimistic and jump to conclusions, thinking what they will do if they do not pass.
According to Al-Shawwa, examophobia has psychological symptoms that lead to physical ones. “Examophobics suffer from severe stress, inability to concentrate and sudden amnesia,” she said.
The symptoms may even lead to physical problems, including vomiting and diarrhea.
“On the first day of my son’s high school final exams, he was so frightened that he began vomiting after each meal,” said Sawsan, the boy’s mother.
“I had to take him to the nearest hospital to get the needed medication. Unfortunately, my son failed one exam although he studied really hard for it,” she said.
Al-Shawwa says that parents and the home atmosphere have a big effect on children’s performance in exams.
Students do not want to hear the order, “Study! Finals are here” several times a day. It makes them nervous and uneasy. If, on the other hand, they enter the exam feeling confident and optimistic, chances are that they will do well.
The exam system also plays a big role. In the new system, elementary schools do not any longer have final exams; instead, they have continuous assessment throughout the academic year.
“This decreases the stress upon them and induces them to work more during the year instead of saving all their effort and studying for final exams,” explained Al-Shawwa.
Some teachers even try to frighten their students, thinking that frightened students will study harder.
“Last semester, my science teacher told the class that she thought half the class would fail the final. That was her way of encouraging us to study!” said Maha, a ninth grader. Students think this discourages study instead of encouraging it.
