2025, Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part B

author(s)
Dennis T Varghese and Maneesh Kumar Sharma

abstract

Background: Test anxiety is a common psychological concern among nursing students, arising from demanding academic curricula, frequent evaluations, and high expectations for academic performance. Elevated test anxiety can negatively affect students’ cognitive functioning, emotional stability, academic achievement, and overall well-being. Bibliotherapy, a therapeutic approach utilizing structured reading materials, has been identified as a cost-effective and non-invasive intervention for managing anxiety and enhancing coping skills.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a Bibliotherapy Training Program on test anxiety among B.Sc. nursing students.

Methods: A quantitative pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed. One hundred first-semester B.Sc. nursing students from selected nursing colleges in Bengaluru were selected using convenience sampling. Test anxiety levels were measured using a modified Sarason’s Test Anxiety Scale before and after the implementation of a 30-day Bibliotherapy Training Program. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test.

Results: The post-test mean test anxiety score was significantly lower than the pre-test mean score (p<0.05), indicating a statistically significant reduction in test anxiety following the bibliotherapy intervention.

Conclusion: The Bibliotherapy Training Program was effective in reducing test anxiety among nursing students. Incorporating bibliotherapy into nursing education may serve as a valuable strategy to promote psychological resilience, enhance academic performance, and support student mental health.