Approximately 1 million students are eagerly awaiting the High School Entrance Exam (LGS) to be held on Sunday, June 6, 2021. Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, emphasizing the importance of stress control in children and young people preparing for the exam, points out that with only a few days left until the exam, the focus should be on the process, not the outcome. Tarhan emphasizes that parents' anxiety is contagious and advises focusing on the child's success in practice exams. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also highlights the importance of brain-friendly living, such as regular sleep and proper nutrition, in combating exam anxiety.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, made evaluations on coping with exam stress for students and their families who will take the exam to transfer from secondary education institutions to high school.
Parents' anxiety is contagious
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that with only a few days left until the LGS, the attitudes of parents are also important during this period. Tarhan noted that parents should guide their children correctly and said:
"Parents' anxiety is contagious. Does the child have a high sense of responsibility or a low sense of responsibility? The approach to a child with a high sense of responsibility is different from the approach to a child with a low sense of responsibility. But usually, many children feel responsible. When you tell a child with a high sense of responsibility, 'Son/daughter, it's okay if you don't study. What's important is you, your health,' children get very overwhelmed. The child already has anxiety about the exam, expectations, and fears. In such situations, you are scaring a person who is already afraid. The child worries, 'Oh no, it means I might fail the exam if my parents are talking like this.'"
Focus on the process, not the outcome
However, to prevent the child's exam anxiety, you advise focusing on the process. In this period leading up to the exam, they should focus on the process here, not the exam result. Focusing on the exam result is something one cannot control. When one focuses on something they cannot control, anxiety rises. However, it is important to focus on what can be controlled, such as reviewing what they know until the exam, solving 100-200 or 300 questions."
Success in practice exams should be considered
Tarhan stated that setting very high goals in such exams, for example, the goal of being among the top 10 thousand, also stems from outcome-oriented thinking. "The pressure of 'I will be in the top 10 thousand' is outcome-oriented thinking. Here, the young person starts asking, 'What if I can't get into the top 10 thousand?' They can set a goal for themselves like, 'I will do my best, this is my duty, but I don't know what rank I will achieve. Hopefully, I'll be in the top 10 thousand or 50 thousand.' But if that student constantly thinks about the result from morning to night, they panic during the exam. Here, the child or young person needs to look at their success in practice exams. If they think, 'I can get into the top 10 thousand in practice tests. I got this score in a practice test before, I can do this too. There's no reason for me not to succeed,' their anxiety will decrease. In other words, a prepared person's anxiety decreases in such situations," he said.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan underlined that staying calm under stress is a learnable skill. "This is not innate. It's like a ship preparing for a storm. Smart captains are those who take precautions to avoid being caught in a storm," he said.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that plans should be made for each day with only a few days left until the exam. He also noted that some people attach too much meaning to exams, adding, "However, the exam is just one of the steps to success in life."
Brain-friendly living is important in coping with exam stress
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan listed his recommendations for coping with exam stress as follows:
"The contributions of sleep, nutrition, and exercise are very significant in coping with exam stress. Sleep is the brain's greatest friend. People who live brain-friendly lives feel more comfortable during exams. What does brain-friendly living involve? The diet is very important here. One should not overfill the stomach. When the stomach is overfilled before an exam, focusing becomes difficult. Therefore, eating light things before an exam is very important. When you eat carbohydrates and very sugary things before studying, blood sugar rises suddenly. This leads to drowsiness, lethargy, and weakness to the point of not being able to move one's arms and legs. Mediterranean cuisine is very important. We also call it a colorful plate. A nutrition model that includes protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruits, with foods of every color. Eating in this way is brain-friendly nutrition."
Sleep must be regulated to cope with stress
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also pointed out the importance of quality sleep in coping with stress, saying, "Coffee should be avoided before bed. They should make an effort to go to bed early and wake up early. They should put away tablets and phones before sleep. This also reduces the quality of sleep."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that they can drink two cups of coffee a day. "There is no problem with consuming coffee from morning until noon. Coffee naturally enhances attention," he said.
Parent-child relationship affects academic success…
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that children take their parents' relationship as an example. "If there is a peaceful and warm environment at home, it means the parents have already prepared the atmosphere for the child's education. If the child loves coming home, is happy at home, and likes their belongings and room, 50% of the problem is solved. It is also necessary to teach the child the balance between freedom and responsibility. Each age has different responsibilities. A 5-6-year-old child should not be given the responsibilities of a 12-13-year-old child," he said.
The home should be made to feel like the safest place
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated, "This period is also adolescence. This is a period of searching for and finding one's own identity. It is important for them to feel that their mother and father are by their side during this period. The child's safest space is home. This should be conveyed to the child."
Children should be given the opportunity to speak
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also noted the importance of spending time with the child. "When spending time together, the only topic shouldn't be lessons. Life events, daily occurrences can be discussed. But it shouldn't just be the mother or father talking. In our culture, typically, the mother and father talk, and the child listens. The most beautiful learning method that encourages a child to ask questions is the Socratic method of inquiry. Leading questions can be asked to give the child a chance to speak. For example, instead of approaching with 'I say this about this topic,' an approach like 'What do you think about this topic?' might be useful. Instead of being domineering towards the child, it is necessary to be a role model and offer options," he said.
We say: stress yes, panic no
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that stress before an exam is normal and should be present. "We say, 'Stress yes, panic no.' It is normal for a child to feel stress before an exam. They should not be afraid of it. Stress yes, panic no. Because panic destroys a person. That is not stress. It is enough for their mother and father to be by their side. They should not say anything to the child. They should take them to the door. Calmly, they should not talk about lessons at all. If the child wants, they can ask them questions," he advised.