Tracyone Qualls

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Health Education 44
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Professor Moore
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3 May 2015
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Project 3: Case Study

Katya is a college freshman with a 3.0 grade point average. She is a very proactive
student that takes her academic career seriously. Katya is currently paying for school with an
academic-based scholarship which requires her to maintain a specific level of academic
performance. Katya understands the importance of her academic performance, and knows that
her not reaching a certain measure of success can cost her her academic career, therefore
jeopardizing her future. Katya struggles with an anxiety disorder which affects her confidence
and ability to focus on her academics. Regardless of how hard she studies, Katya doesnt believe
that she will do well on her tests, and her anxiety also affects how she performs on these tests.
Now, Katya is preparing for her final exam which will determine if she loses or keeps her
scholarship. The fluctuating anxiety between Katya questioning her performance and wether or
not she will be able to pay for school has caused Katya to have anxiety so severe that she now
suffers from panic attacks. These panic attacks are affecting her ability to study and retain
information.
As someone who has experienced debilitating anxiety, Katyas experience resonates with
me on many levels. I know and understand how anxiety can detract from focusing on your
academic endeavors, and make it difficult to concentrate and retain information. Battling anxiety
isnt an easy task and takes a lot of energy and effort. The amount of energy you spend dealing

with anxiety leaves you fearful and unmotivated, sometimes apathetic. This in turn causes
decreased academic performance which affects your self-esteem, which in turn promotes more
anxiety. Anxiety is a reoccurring cycle, and without intervention, its effects can be perpetual. On
the basis of my own personal experience and the information I have obtained through research
from reputable sources, I will be recommending solutions that may help reduce Katyas anxiety,
and get her back to being confident in herself and her academic abilities.
According to 2008 International Journal of Stress article written by Miri Cohen, there is a
negative association between test anxiety and performance on a variety of measures. Anxiety has
a significant impact on students performances in various scenarios, regardless of the students
intelligence. Cohen and other social scientist conducted several experiments and reached the
conclusion that there was a correlation between utilizing cognitive behavior therapy to manage
stressors and test performance. Students who previously struggled with anxiety but were then
equipped with stress-management strategies showed a positive correlation with test scores. Based
on that information, I am recommending that Katya meet with a counselor for a short-term
intervention in order to assist her in developing anxiety-coping techniques to help her eliminate
her performance anxiety and place all of her energy towards achieving her academic goals. I
would strongly urge Katya to practice mediation and also begin an exercise regime which
according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, helps reduce stress and
improves alertness and concentration. Some other things Katya can do to reduce anxiety are
simple things such as laughing, giving herself positive affirmations, and being surrounded by
positive supportive people. Just talking about your anxiety with people you love can go a long
way towards resolving it. From a health perspective, Katya can also eliminate any caffeine which

is shown to contribute greatly to anxiety, as well as avoiding drugs and alcohol, and maintaining
a healthy diet.
All in all, I believe that Katya has the ability to eliminate her anxiety in order to improve
her academic performance. Utilizing the strategies that I have recommended to her will help her
not only reduce her anxiety, but also give her more of a sense of ownership and control in her
life. Katya clearly has the ability to excel academically, as she was awarded an academic-based
scholarship, but she must remember her mind can either affect her positively or negatively,
depending on which she gives her energy. Once Katya gets her anxiety under control, I am sure
she will not only retain her academic scholarship, but also increase her overall academic
performance.

Works Cited
Sense of coherence, coping strategies, and test anxiety as predictors of test performance among
college students. By: Cohen, Miri, Ben-Zur, Hasida, Rosenfeld, Michal J., International Journal
of Stress Management, 10725245, 2008, Vol. 15, Issue 3

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How to Reduce Stress: 10 Relaxation Techniques To Reduce Stress on the Spot. (n.d.). Retrieved
May 4, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/blissing-out-10-relaxation-techniquesreduce-stress-spot?page=2

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Feature, W. (n.d.). Brewing Trouble. Retrieved May 4, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/
balance/features/brewing-trouble