ADHD in Children
Visual Abstract
The relationships among ADHD, self-esteem, and test anxiety in young adults
ADHD, self-esteem, and test anxiety
Orrie Dan, Sivan Raz
Summarized by:
April 23, 2023
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What they studied
Researchers wanted to analyze the link between ADHD, test anxiety, and self-esteem.
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What they found
The results showed that those with ADHD have much higher test anxiety across-the-board. Additionally, much of this was driven by low self-esteem.
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What this means
Inattention and impulsivity can present challenges on standardized tests for those with ADHD. This study suggests that anxiety and self-esteem also play a role and should be considered when diagnosing and treating ADHD and students.
ADHD, self-esteem, and test anxiety
Objectives
Many students feel anxious before or during a test. Test anxiety can often get in the way of our ability to perform at our best. For those with severe test anxiety, our test scores may be more likely to reflect anxiety than our knowledge.
Previous studies have shown that those with ADHD can struggle more with anxiety.
This study wanted to analyze the link between test anxiety, ADHD, and self-esteem.
Study Quote
The comorbidity of adult ADHD with test anxiety (TA) has not been previously reported. This comorbidity can potentially affect clinical and academic interventions among individuals with ADHD. The present study investigated the relationships among ADHD, self-esteem, and three subscales of...
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Methods
To study this link, researchers recruited 25 female students with ADHD and 30 female students without ADHD. They assessed each participant for ADHD, self-esteem, and test anxiety.
Study Quote
A total of 25 female participants diagnosed with ADHD and 30 female controls without ADHD of comparable age and education completed an Online Continuous Performance Test, an ADHD questionnaire, a self-esteem inventory, and a TA questionnaire.
Results
Researchers found strong links between ADHD and test anxiety of all types.
Those with ADHD are more likely to go blank during a test, feel tense during a test, and fear losing respect from friends and family if they don’t perform well.
They also had less self-esteem.
A study of students with ADHD found strong links between ADHD and all domains of test anxiety.
Based on the data, it is clear that those with ADHD are generally much more anxious on tests in school, which probably impacts their performance.
Interestingly, much of this link was mediated by self-esteem.
What is mediation in statistics?
The data suggest that the mechanism behind the link between ADHD and anxiety is partly self-esteem.
Low self-esteem is responsible for the anxiety those with ADHD have regarding how others may feel about them based on their performance.
Low self-esteem also plays a role in the sensation of the mind going blank on a test.
Students with ADHD are more likely to have test anxiety. Much of this link is driven by self-esteem. Self-esteem has been linked to students feeling anxious about what others will think of their results and to “going blank” during a test.
Study Quote
Participants with ADHD exhibited significantly higher levels of TA on all three subscales and lower levels of self-esteem compared with controls. Self-esteem served as a partial mediator between ADHD and cognitive obstruction TA and as a full mediator between ADHD and social derogation T...
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Conclusions
ADHD can make school more challenging. It can get in the way of paying attention in class, sitting still for hours, and focusing on tests.
This study shows that the difficulties also include test anxiety, which many professionals may not have been aware of before this study.
Years of difficulties at school may amplify anxious thoughts and make it difficult to perform on exams.
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These findings suggest the emergence of a vicious cycle in which problems with attention, concentration, hyperactivity, and impulsivity culminate in problems with test performance. The level of TA rises, test performance is compromised due to elevated TA, and the student attributes the failure to ADHD. Hence, fear of tests increases even more, thus further interfering with test performance.
These difficulties may impact self-esteem, which further amplifies test anxiety.
These types of studies are important for understanding ADHD. Based on studies like this, we now know that focus is not the only challenge those with ADHD face. Anxiety can play a huge role as well. Knowing this helps professionals and parents design better treatment plans for students.
Study Quote
The findings of this study suggest that TA, well known to affect success on tests, is correlated with ADHD. Therefore, interventions for ADHD should include components aimed at reducing TA.