Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Students’ Reactions to Three Typical Examinations in Health Sciences

  • Personality
  • Published:
Advances in Health Sciences Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: A search for universal and particular changes in emotional, behavioral and cognitive assessments in relation to three types of examinations: an oral presentation, an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and a pencil and paper examination.

Methods: One hundred and two students of health professions completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire before (t1) and after (t2) each type of examination. Data regarding stress-related symptoms, attitudes, and preparation behavior were collected at (t2).

Results: POMS six subscales scores at (t1) did not differ by examination type and five of them were statistically significant higher at (t1) than (t2) regardless of examination type. “Preparing behavior” also emerged as a universal feature. As for the particular aspects of each examination, OSCE students felt more depression-dejection and fatigue at (t2) than at (t1). Oral presentation was perceived as the most difficult by students, who also reported more symptoms. For this type of examination, the students regained their confidence towards the end of the presentation and perceived classmates as most supportive and least disturbing. The pencil and paper examination was evaluated as the easiest by students, produced fewest symptoms and no excitement during the examination.

Conclusions: Three types of examinations, frequently used in health sciences, appeared to initiate different physical, emotional, and social reactions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • D. Ben-Chiam U Zoller (1997) ArticleTitleExamination-type preferences of secondary school students and their teachers in the science disciplines Instructional Science 25 347–367

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Ben-Chiam U Zoller (2001) ArticleTitleSelf perception versus students’ perception of teachers’ personal style in college science and mathematics courses Research in Science Education 31 437–454

    Google Scholar 

  • Z. Ben-Sira (1979) ArticleTitleA scale of psychological distress. Research Communication in Psychology Psychiatry and Behavior 4 337–356

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Biondi P Pancheri (1995) Clinical research strategies in psychoneuroimmunology: a review of 46 human research studies B.E. K. Leonard Miller (Eds) Stress, the immune system and psychiatry Wiley & Sons Chichester 85–112

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Cohen N. Hamrick M. S. Rodriguez P.J. Feldman B.S. Rabin S.B. Manuck (2000) ArticleTitleThe stability of and intercorrelations among cardiovascular, immune, endocrine, and psychological reactivity Annals of Behavioral Medicine 22 171–179 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02895111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.H. Crouse J.L. Deffenbacher G.A Frost (1985) ArticleTitleDesensitization for students with different sources and experiences of test anxiety Journal of College Student Personnel 26 315–318

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Eady (1999) ArticleTitleAn investigation of possible correlation of general anxiety with performance in eleven plus scores in year 6 primary school pupil Educational Psychology 19 347–359

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Glaser G.R. Pearson J.F. Jones J. Hillhouse S. Kennedy H.Y. Mao J.K Kiecolt-Glaser (1991) ArticleTitleStress-related activation of Epstein-Barr virus Brain Behavior and Immunity 5 219–32 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0889-1591(91)90018-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S.L. Goldman D.T. Kraemer P Salvoy (1996) ArticleTitleBeliefs about mood moderate the relationship of stress to illness and symptom reporting Journal of Psychosomatic Research 41 115–28 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-3999(96)00119-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R.M. Harden M. Stevenson W.W. Downie G.M Wilson (1975) ArticleTitleAssessment of clinical competence using objective structured examination British Medical Journal 1 447–451 Occurrence Handle10.1136/bmj.1.5955.447

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T.H. Holmes R.H Rahe (1967) ArticleTitleHolmes-Rahe life changes scale Journal of Psychosomatic Research 11 213–218 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-3999(67)90010-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D.H. Kang C Fox (2001) ArticleTitleTh1 and Th2 cytokine responses to academic stress Research in Nursing & Health 24 245–257 Occurrence Handle10.1002/nur.1027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • V. Ng D. Koh B.Y. Mok S.E. Chia L.P Lim (2003) ArticleTitleSalivary biomarkers associated with academic assessment stress among dental undergraduates Journal of Dental Education 67 1091–1094

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Maes M. Planken ParticleVan Der A. Gastel ParticleVan K. Bruyland F. Hunsel ParticleVan H. Neels D. Hendriks A. Wauters P. Demedts A. Janca S. Scharpe (1998) ArticleTitleInfluence of academic examination stress on hematological measurements in subjectively healthy volunteers Psychiatry Research 80 201–212 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0165-1781(98)00059-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • F.D. McCormick M.S Whittington (2000) ArticleTitleAssessing academic challenges for their contribution to cognitive development Journal of agriculture education 41 114–116

    Google Scholar 

  • D.M. McNair M. Lorr L.E Dropplemanm (1971) Profile of Mood States Manual. Educational and Industrial Testing Servi San Diego, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Mikulincer (1989) ArticleTitleCoping and learned helplessness: effects of coping strategies on performance following unsolvable problems European Journal of personality 3 181–194

    Google Scholar 

  • N.G. Nelson C. Dell'Oliver C. Koch R Buckler (2001) ArticleTitleStress,coping, and success among graduate students in clinical psychology Psychological Report 88 759–767

    Google Scholar 

  • O. Sarid O. Anson A. Yaari M Margalith (2001) ArticleTitleEpstein- Barr virus specific salivary antibodies as related to stress caused by examinations Journal of Medical Virology 64 149–156 Occurrence Handle10.1002/jmv.1030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Q. Sarid O. Anson A. Yaari M Margalith (2002) ArticleTitleHuman cytomegalovirus salivary antibodies as related to stress Clinical Laboratory 48 297–305

    Google Scholar 

  • O. Sarid O. Anson A. Yaari M Margalith (2004) ArticleTitleCoping styles and changes in humoral reaction during academic stress Psychology, Health & Medicine 9 85–98

    Google Scholar 

  • S.L. Silberman H. Runyon L.R Martin (1980) ArticleTitleThe use of audiovisual procedures in evaluating oral diagnostic and treatment planning skills of dental students Journal of Dental Education 44 211–214

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Steptoe J. Wardle T.M. Pollard L Canaan (1996) ArticleTitleStress, social support and health-related behavior: a study of smoking, alcohol consumption and physical exercise Journal of Psychosomatic Research 41 171–180 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-3999(96)00095-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J.R. Stowell (2003) ArticleTitleUse and abuse of academic examination in stress research Psychosomatic Medicine 65 1055–1057 Occurrence Handle10.1097/01.PSY.0000097349.84109.1F

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • THE ICD-10 (1992). Classification of mental and behavioral disorders. Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines. World Health Organization (WHO), pp. 148–152

  • A.H. Townsend S. McLlvenny C.J. Miller E.V Dunn (2001) ArticleTitleThe use of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) for formative and summative assessment in a general practice clinical attachment and its relationship to final medical school examination performance Medical Education 35 841–6 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2923.2001.00957.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T.M. Wolf S.S. Heller C.J. Camp J.M Faucett (1995) ArticleTitleThe process of coping with a gross anatomy exam during the first year of medical school British Journal of Medical Psychology 68 85–87

    Google Scholar 

  • R.R. Zartman A.G. McWhorter N.S. Seale W.J Boone (2002) ArticleTitleUsing OSCE-based evaluation: curricular impact over time Journal of Dental Education 66 1323–30

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Zeidner (1995) ArticleTitleAdaptive coping with test situations: a review of the literature Educational Psychologist 30 123–133 Occurrence Handle10.1207/s15326985ep3003_3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U. Zoller D Ben-Chiam (1989) ArticleTitleInteraction between examination type,, anxiety state, and academic achievement in college science; an action-oriented research Journal of Research in Science Teaching 26 65–77

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Matilda & Leon Recanati School for Health Professions Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of The Negev, POB 65384105, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Orly Sarid & Ofra Anson

  2. Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Yaakov Bentov

Authors
  1. Orly Sarid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ofra Anson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yaakov Bentov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Orly Sarid.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sarid, O., Anson, O. & Bentov, Y. Students’ Reactions to Three Typical Examinations in Health Sciences. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract 10, 291–302 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-005-6706-2

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-005-6706-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation