Associations between test anxiety and smoking during exam stress

Abstract

This longitudinal study, examined whether Test Anxiety (TA), coping, and their interactions predict smoking quantity. University of Cyprus students were assessed at two time points separated by 3 months, Time 1 (T1, N 166) and Time 2 (T2, N=117). T1 was an exam-free period, while T2 occurred during finals. At T1, participants were administered the Revised Test Anxiety Scale and the Brief-COPE. Number of cigarettes smoked on a typical day was measured at both times. At T1, coping through Expression of Negative Feelings and Denial were positively and negatively associated with cigarettes smoked, respectively. At both times, there was a significant interaction between TA and Behavioural Disengagement coping: For people high in Behavioral Disengagement, higher TA was associated with more cigarettes. At T2, TA additionally interacted with Support coping: Among participants low in Support seeking, higher TA was linked to heavier smoking than lower TA. It appears that TA alone does not increase risk for heavier smoking during exam stress among students. However, TA predicts more smoking during exams when combined with specific maladaptive coping styles.