SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY ON MITIGATING TEST ANXIETY AND INCREASING AGENCY

HEATHER ELDEB RYAN. Social Emotional Learning: A Mixed-Methods Study on Mitigating Test Anxiety and Increasing Agency. (Under the direction of DR. TINA HEAFNER)
Abstract
Middle School student academic achievement has not yet reached its potential. A multitude of educational studies have examined the causes and potential solutions that could foster long-term achievement gains for students in these pivotal adolescent years. Much of the prior research has looked at the pedagogical side of teaching, the programmatic side of curriculum, and the multitude of psychological influences experienced by the learner. Although previous work has been absolutely beneficial, these investigations have often been done in isolation. This quasi-experimental mixed-method study attempted to amalgamate pedagogy, curriculum, and psychological influences by integrating social emotional instruction techniques with targeted curriculum to address emotional and behavioral factors that affect student academic performance. A sample of 108 students aged 10-11 years old were placed into four treatment (n =59) and four control groups (n =49), by purposeful sampling. Students in the treatment classrooms received one intervention lesson on motivation and one lesson on anxiety reducing skills. By using an explanatory mixed-method approach, the research used two phases to uncover and track students’ test anxiety, math avoidance, and motivation as potential influences on fifth-grade agency for learning over a nine-week period. Surveys were administered in conjunction with weekly math exams over four separate data points. After repeated ANOVA analysis had been completed on preliminary quantitative data, a structured interview protocol was developed to obtain a deeper understanding of the participant experience for students in both the treatment and control groups. Initial survey analysis found no significant changes by either group in student test anxiety, math avoidance, or motivation towards agency over the research period. Further analysis showed no significant effect of the intervention lessons on the treatment group’s test anxiety, math avoidance, or motivation towards agency. Contrarily, interview data supported previous research findings with the majority of students stating that they had experienced test anxiety, and math avoidance, and had a desire to be more intrinsically motivated. Additionally, respondents from the treatment group perceived the motivational lesson helpful in making intrinsically motivated agentic choices with future study behaviors and the enrollment in advanced math courses. Similarly, 100% of treatment participants believed that the instruction on anxiety skills was useful and would be utilized when necessary. Moreover, interview findings discovered that over half of students in the intervention group had successfully implemented anxiety reducing skills both inside and outside of the school environment post-treatment. Overall findings justify further integration and investigation of social emotional instruction in the general education classroom as a potential solution to increased student achievement.