{"id":74905,"date":"2024-11-18T00:06:01","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T05:06:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=74905"},"modified":"2024-11-18T00:06:01","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T05:06:01","slug":"waiting-for-exam-results-can-be-awful-our-research-shows-how-best-to-manage-the-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/waiting-for-exam-results-can-be-awful-our-research-shows-how-best-to-manage-the-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"Waiting for exam results can be awful. Our research shows how best to manage the stress"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s that time of year when students are waiting for school and university results that could change the course of their lives.<\/p>\n

Uncertain waiting periods are among our most emotionally challenging experiences. In fact,\u00a0research shows<\/a>\u00a0students are more stressed while waiting for their results than after finding out they have failed. This is because\u00a0dealing with an uncertain situation is more stressful<\/a>\u00a0than dealing with a known negative outcome.<\/p>\n

In our\u00a0new research<\/a>, we investigated how students can best approach this often agonising time.<\/p>\n

Our research<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We followed 101 university psychology students in Belgium receiving results that determined whether they could continue their degree.<\/p>\n

We surveyed students ten times a day over two periods. We surveyed for two and a half days before they had their results, because previous research suggests uncertainty is hardest\u00a0immediately before finding out outcomes<\/a>. We then surveyed for six and a half days after results were received, because strong emotional responses\u00a0can last several days<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We used a method called \u201cexperience sampling<\/a>\u201d, which involves sending short surveys repeatedly each day. These were done via smartphone.<\/p>\n

Every survey, students used a slider scale to tell us how strongly they were feeling four positive (for example, \u201cproud\u201d, \u201chappy\u201d) and six negative (for example, \u201cdisappointed\u201d, \u201canxious\u201d) emotions. We asked questions such as: \u201cright now, how anxious do you feel about your results?\u201d.<\/p>\n

Students also used a slider scale to indicate how much they used six common strategies to manage their feelings (for example, distracting yourself, accepting your feelings, or rethinking the situation). We then tested which strategies predicted better emotional outcomes both during the wait, and after results were known.<\/p>\n

What to avoid<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We found there are strategies students should avoid while they wait for results. These strategies are associated with stronger negative emotion when used in the waiting period. Two takeaway findings include:<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t reframe the situation before you know what it is<\/strong><\/p>\n

When managing stress, one generally helpful strategy is\u00a0reappraisal<\/a>, which involves rethinking an emotional situation to reduce its impact. For example, a student might interpret failure as a learning opportunity.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, we found the more students reappraised while they waited, the worse they felt. For example, a student thinking \u201cif I fail, I can learn from it\u201d.<\/p>\n

But we found the more students reappraised after they received their grades, the better they felt. Reappraisal seems to only help after knowing your grades, when there is a concrete outcome to rethink.<\/p>\n

2. Take care with how you share<\/strong><\/p>\n

When feeling bad, people\u00a0often share their emotions<\/a>\u00a0with others. For example, a student might share their worries with a friend.<\/p>\n

But the more students in our study shared their emotions with others while waiting for their results, the worse they felt. This may be because students are sharing to vent or complain, leading to a\u00a0downward spiral<\/a>. It also could be that students share with friends who are also worried, and their friends\u2019 feelings\u00a0compound their anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What can you do instead?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We found students who accepted their emotions as they were, without judgement, felt more positive during the wait. This strategy also worked well after students learned their results, regardless or what they were. This suggests acceptance is a consistently helpful approach.<\/p>\n

Research suggests\u00a0when we accept our emotions, they lose their power<\/a>. In accepting our emotions, we confront the reality of the situation and let our feelings run their natural course, rather than swimming against the tide.<\/p>\n

How can you accept your emotions?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You can\u00a0practise acceptance<\/a>\u00a0in three steps:<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong>\u00a0notice and label your feelings<\/strong>. For example, \u201cI\u2019m feeling anxious\u201d or \u201cangry\u201d or \u201cashamed\u201d<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong>\u00a0experience these feelings fully<\/strong>, even if they are negative. Don\u2019t try to control, diminish, or avoid them<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong>\u00a0don\u2019t judge these feelings<\/strong>. Recognise they are normal and valid. For example, you might think, \u201cI feel really anxious about my results, but that\u2019s reasonable and OK\u201d.<\/p>\n

Acceptance may feel counterintuitive, but our research shows it can help students navigate that long and anxious wait for results.<\/p>\n

Author Bios:<\/strong>Elise Kalokerinos is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at The University of Melbourne and Ella Moeck is Lecturer, School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year when students are waiting for school and university results that could change the course of their lives. Uncertain waiting periods are among our most emotionally challenging experiences. In fact,\u00a0research shows\u00a0students are more stressed while waiting for their results than after finding out they have failed. This is because\u00a0dealing with an […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15645],"tags":[2600],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-74905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","tag-stress-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWaiting for exam results can be awful. 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