Lemoine 1

Sean Lemoine

Grace Apiafi

HED 044

25 November 2017

Project 3: Case Study Analysis

Recently, I made an appointment with an otolaryngologist (ENT) after having growing

concerns about unusual bouts of lightheadedness. On the way to their office, I began

experiencing an elevated heart rate that my watch began notifying me of, a tightness in my chest,

more rapid and shallow breathing, and a tingling sensation in my hands. I began thinking that

what I was having was a heart attack. Once inside their office, a nurse checked my blood

pressure and heart rate and both measured as being healthy and normal, though my heart rate was

slightly elevated. In regards to my reports of lightheadedness the doctor ruled out anything

related to my ears, nose, or throat, and suggested that I go to urgent care. At urgent care, after

having an electrocardiogram (EKG), which helps detect heart problems and measure heart

health, the doctor said that my heart was healthy and, after inquiring about the symptoms I had

been experiencing, diagnosed me with anxiety.

In the United States, the most common mental illnesses are anxiety disorders (Facts &

Statistics, 2017). In regards to education, a 2010 study found that 10 to 40 percent of students

were affected by test anxiety and, though some students perform better because of it, others do

not (Gotter, 2017).

For this case study, we are introduced to a freshman student named, Katya, who has a

history of severe test anxiety. Her anxiety is so severe that she recently had a panic attack while

studying for a chemistry exam that she needs to do well on in order to keep her scholarship and
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is just days away. Regardless of the fact that she has a 3.0 grade point average and maintains

healthy study habits, her lack of confidence in her efforts to produce desirable test results induces

anxiety before they take even take place.

In my opinion, Katyas test anxiety appears to be brought on by a combination of two

things, anxiety and low self-efficacy when it comes to tests. Though self-esteem, self-confidence,

and self-efficacy, may be related, there are distinct differences between them as Peterson points

out.

Self-efficacy stems from Bandura's (1977, 1986, 1997) Social Learning Theory and is

"the belief in one's capabilities to organize and to execute the courses of action required

to produce given attainments" (Bandura, 1997, p. 2). Self-efficacy refers to people's

judgments of their own competence to complete a specific task. Self-efficacy differs

from self-confidence, which refers to an overall or general feeling of competence

(Bandura, 1997). Self-efficacy also differs from self-esteem, an estimate of one's worth

and degree of self-appreciation (p. 11). (Peterson, p. 7-8)

It is apparent that she has low self-efficacy when it comes to tests because of her feelings

that the energy she puts into studying does not correlate to her test performance. In an effort to

address and improve her self-efficacy, there are a few tools that she can employ. For Katya,

visualizing success can help make achieving that goal appear attainable as well as help identify

the necessary steps to reach it, utilizing things that lift her spirits and make her feel good can, in

turn, also help her feel good about her efforts, and finding encouragement in a social group that

supports her with positive specific feedback are all ways she could help raise her self-efficacy

(LeVan, 2010).
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As for Katyas anxiety, she can address what if questions by changing any concerns to

actionable steps to help her achieve her goal, attempt to understand the ambiguous nature of

future events and identify things that are within and outside of her control, and instill a positive

influence over physiological reactions in her body by utilizing progressive muscle relaxation

exercises as well as diaphragmatic breathing to mitigate tension and typical stress responses

(Minden, 2016).

Since having my anxiety attack, I have come to realize through conversations and

responses just how many people have dealt with anxiety in their lives but choose not to talk

about it in less than private settings. The tools for dealing with anxiety that I have mentioned

have personally helped me slowly recover from it and build confidence that I am better prepared

for the future and my attempts to see the parts of the whole that I feel can help me achieve

success in various areas of my life have led me to feel an increase in my own self-efficacy. In the

future, I hope to welcome challenges and see them as opportunities for growth, development, and

learning.

References

Facts & Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2017, from

https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
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Gotter, Ana (2017, April 14). What Is Test Anxiety? Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health/test-anxiety#symptoms2

LeVan, A. (2010, February 03). If You Think You Can't... Think Again: The Sway of Self-

Efficacy. Retrieved November 27, 2017, from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ flourish/201002/if-you-think-you-

can-t-think-again-the-sway-self-efficacy

Minden, J. (2016, July 30). Top 10 Ways to Reduce Anxiety. Retrieved November 26, 2017,

from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cbt-and-me/201607/top-10-ways-reduce-anxiety

Peterson, T. O., & Arnn, R. B. (2005). Self-efficacy: The foundation of human performance.

Performance Improvement Quarterly, 18(2), 5-18. Retrieved from https://

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