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TB 2025, 24(2): 31-44 |
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Samimi Z, Davoudi T, Bahadorikhosroshahi J, Qadri E. Investigating the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Training on Test Anxiety and Social Media Addiction among Students. TB 2025; 24 (2) :31-44
URL: http://tbj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-3754-en.html
URL: http://tbj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-3754-en.html
International University of Chabahar , z.samimi@iuc.ac.ir
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Investigating the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Training on Test Anxiety and Social Media Addiction among Students
Zobair Samimi(Ph.D.)1, Touba Davoudi(M.A)2, Bahadorikhosroshahi(Ph.D.)3, Esmaeil Qadri(Ph.D.s)4
1.Assistant Professor Department of Psychology and Educational Technology, International University of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran Email: z.samimi@iuc.ac.ir Tel: 09156366797
2.Master of Educational Technology, International University of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran
3.Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
4.Department of Educational Sciences and Educational Technology, International University of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Test anxiety and social media addiction are among the major psychological factors that negatively affect students’ academic performance. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral training on test anxiety and social media addiction among high school students.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all female students in junior high school in Chabahar during the 2024–2025 academic year. A total of 30 participants were selected using purposive and then random sampling methods and were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). Following the pretest, the experimental group received cognitive-behavioral training over eight 60-minute sessions (two sessions per week). Data collection instruments included the Spielberger Test Anxiety Inventory (1980) and the Social Media Addiction Questionnaire developed by Khaje Ahmadi et al. (2017). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and independent and paired t-tests in SPSS version 27.
Results: The results showed that in the post-test stage, the subjects in the experimental group had less test anxiety (worry and emotionality) and less addiction to social media compared to the control group (p<0/001).
Conclusion: According to the findings, cognitive-behavioral training had a positive impact on reducing test anxiety and social media addiction among students. This approach can be considered an effective intervention for improving academic-related psychological challenges in adolescents.
Keywords: Test Anxiety, Social Media, Addictive Behavior, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Students
Conflict of interest: The authors declared no conflict of interest.
References
1-Beigzadeh A, Nazarieh M. Academic failure and enhancing success for medical students. Res Dev. 2025; 14 (33): 1-4.
2-Onoshakpokaiye O, Okigbo EC. Relationship between test anxiety and academic performance of secondary school students in mathematics. Mathematics Education Journal. 2023; 7(2):178-189.
3-Tan SH, Pang JS. Test anxiety: an integration of the test anxiety and achievement motivation research traditions. Educ Psychol Rev. 2023;35(1):13-21
4-Roos AL, Goetz T, Voracek M & et al. Test anxiety and physiological arousal: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Educ Psychol Rev. 2021;33: 579-618.
5-Sarason IG. Test anxiety, cognitive interference, and performance. In: Snow RE, Frederiksen N, editors. Aptitude, learning, and instruction. Vol. 3. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1980:131-142.
6-Clementina Mi, Daniel OI, Chinyere EN. Test anxiety and self-esteem as correlates of academic achievement among students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Unizik Journal of Education Graduate. 2025; 9(1):160-171.
7-Dastani M, Mohammadpour A, Bagheri J. The Opportunities and Damages of Virtual Social Networks from Students’ Perspectives; the Experience of Iranian Users. Library Philosophy and Practice. 2019; 1 :1-15.
8-Kuchler T, Russel D, Stroebel J. JUE Insight: The geographic spread of COVID-19 correlates with the structure of social networks as measured by Facebook. Journal of Urban Economics. 2021:103314.
9-Krishna SP, Everett MG, Johnson JC. Analyzing social networks. 2nd ed. London: Sage; 2018:371-384.
10- Kemp S. Digital 2024: Global Overview Report [Internet]. We Are Social and Meltwater; 2024. Available from: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-global-overview-report . Accessed September 9, 2025.
11-Razavi MR. Gender differences in the effect of virtual social networks use on students’ academic performance. Current Psychology. 2021; 40(2):744-750.
12-Kuş M. A meta-analysis of the impact of technology related factors on students’ academic performance. Frontiers in Psychology. 2025; 16:1-22.
13-Naushad K, Jamil B, Khan NA & et al. Correlation between social media addiction and academic procrastination in medical students at public and private medical colleges at Peshawar. Pak J Med Sci. 2025; 41(3):837- 842.
14-Feng T, Wang B, Mi M & et al. The relationships between mental health and social media addiction, and between academic burnout and social media addiction among Chinese college students: A network analysis. Heliyon. 2025; 11(3): e41869.
15-Zhang G, Mao S. A double-edged sword: Social media use and creativity. Information Technology & People. 2025; 38(2):660-685.
16-Tolan ÖÇ. Developing University students coping skills with academic procrastination behavior: A cognitive behavioral theory based Psychoeducation practice. Journal of Computer and Education Research. 2023;11(22):728-743.
17-Yapan S, Murat M, Yavuz KF. Effects of acceptance and commitment therapy and cogntive behavioral therapy based psychoeducation programs on test anxiety. Journal of Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy and Research. 2021; 10(2):194-208.
18-Putwain DW, von der Embse NP. Cognitive–behavioral intervention for test anxiety in adolescent students: do benefits extend to school-related wellbeing and clinical anxiety. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping. 2021; 34(1):22-36.
19-Ahmadi Portsieh P, Akhavan Farid R, Kohansal L & et al. The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy on improving self-esteem and improving quality of life in divorced women. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ). 2025; 13(9):221-230.[Persian]
20-Khurshid K, Mushtaq R, Rauf U & et al. Cognitive behavior therapy for academic burnout, procrastination, self-handicapping behavior, and test anxiety among adolescents: a randomized control trial. BMC psychology. 2025; 13(1):1-15.[Persian]
21-Uysal B, Gormez V, Karatepe HT & et al. Reducing test anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. Psychological Reports. 2024; 127(1):159-177.
22-Mousa SE. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in alleviating social media addiction among university youth groups. Egyptian Journal of Social Work. 2023; 15(1):175-200.
23-Hosseini Tabaghdehi L. Comparing the effectiveness of metacognitive strategies and stress management training based on cognitive behavioral approach on students’ exam anxiety. Educ Res. 2024; 10(39):28-37.[Persian]
24-Sadeghzadeh R, Ahadi H, Dortaj F & et al. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and metacognition based learning combination on reducing social network dependency.J Psychol Sci. 2019; 18(78):659-666.[Persian]
25-Zhou X, Rau PL, Yang CL & et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy-based short-term abstinence intervention for problematic social media use: Improved well-being and underlying mechanisms. Psychiatric Quarterly. 2021; 92:761-79.
26-Cohen J. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge; 2013:502-514
27-Pour Hamidi M, Sarvghad S, Rezaei A. The comparison of the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral hypnotherapy on reducing anxiety signs and improving quality of life in first high school students' test anxiety of CHenarshahijan city a part of Iran in academic year of 2016-17. Psychological Models and Methods. 2019; 10(35):17-39.[Persian]
28- Spielberger CD. Test Anxiety Inventory. In: Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. 1st ed. New York: Wiley; 1980:1-10.
29-Spielberger CD, Vagg PR. Test anxiety: a transactional process model. In: Spielberger CD, Vagg PR, editors. Test anxiety: theory, assessment, and treatment. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis; 1995:3-14.
30-Hasani J. The role of the cognitive emotion regulation strategies in student's test anxiety. Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 2014;2(1):10–21.[Persian]
31-Khajeahmadi M, Pooladi S, Bahreini M. Design and Assessment of Psychometric Properties of the Addiction to Mobile Questionnaire Based on Social Networks. IJPN 2017; 4 (4) :43-51.
URL: http://ijpn.ir/article-1-884-fa.html.
Zobair Samimi(Ph.D.)1, Touba Davoudi(M.A)2, Bahadorikhosroshahi(Ph.D.)3, Esmaeil Qadri(Ph.D.s)4
1.Assistant Professor Department of Psychology and Educational Technology, International University of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran Email: z.samimi@iuc.ac.ir Tel: 09156366797
2.Master of Educational Technology, International University of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran
3.Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, Department of Educational Sciences, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
4.Department of Educational Sciences and Educational Technology, International University of Chabahar, Chabahar, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Test anxiety and social media addiction are among the major psychological factors that negatively affect students’ academic performance. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral training on test anxiety and social media addiction among high school students.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all female students in junior high school in Chabahar during the 2024–2025 academic year. A total of 30 participants were selected using purposive and then random sampling methods and were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). Following the pretest, the experimental group received cognitive-behavioral training over eight 60-minute sessions (two sessions per week). Data collection instruments included the Spielberger Test Anxiety Inventory (1980) and the Social Media Addiction Questionnaire developed by Khaje Ahmadi et al. (2017). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and independent and paired t-tests in SPSS version 27.
Results: The results showed that in the post-test stage, the subjects in the experimental group had less test anxiety (worry and emotionality) and less addiction to social media compared to the control group (p<0/001).
Conclusion: According to the findings, cognitive-behavioral training had a positive impact on reducing test anxiety and social media addiction among students. This approach can be considered an effective intervention for improving academic-related psychological challenges in adolescents.
Keywords: Test Anxiety, Social Media, Addictive Behavior, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Students
Conflict of interest: The authors declared no conflict of interest.
References
1-Beigzadeh A, Nazarieh M. Academic failure and enhancing success for medical students. Res Dev. 2025; 14 (33): 1-4.
2-Onoshakpokaiye O, Okigbo EC. Relationship between test anxiety and academic performance of secondary school students in mathematics. Mathematics Education Journal. 2023; 7(2):178-189.
3-Tan SH, Pang JS. Test anxiety: an integration of the test anxiety and achievement motivation research traditions. Educ Psychol Rev. 2023;35(1):13-21
4-Roos AL, Goetz T, Voracek M & et al. Test anxiety and physiological arousal: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Educ Psychol Rev. 2021;33: 579-618.
5-Sarason IG. Test anxiety, cognitive interference, and performance. In: Snow RE, Frederiksen N, editors. Aptitude, learning, and instruction. Vol. 3. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1980:131-142.
6-Clementina Mi, Daniel OI, Chinyere EN. Test anxiety and self-esteem as correlates of academic achievement among students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Unizik Journal of Education Graduate. 2025; 9(1):160-171.
7-Dastani M, Mohammadpour A, Bagheri J. The Opportunities and Damages of Virtual Social Networks from Students’ Perspectives; the Experience of Iranian Users. Library Philosophy and Practice. 2019; 1 :1-15.
8-Kuchler T, Russel D, Stroebel J. JUE Insight: The geographic spread of COVID-19 correlates with the structure of social networks as measured by Facebook. Journal of Urban Economics. 2021:103314.
9-Krishna SP, Everett MG, Johnson JC. Analyzing social networks. 2nd ed. London: Sage; 2018:371-384.
10- Kemp S. Digital 2024: Global Overview Report [Internet]. We Are Social and Meltwater; 2024. Available from: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-global-overview-report . Accessed September 9, 2025.
11-Razavi MR. Gender differences in the effect of virtual social networks use on students’ academic performance. Current Psychology. 2021; 40(2):744-750.
12-Kuş M. A meta-analysis of the impact of technology related factors on students’ academic performance. Frontiers in Psychology. 2025; 16:1-22.
13-Naushad K, Jamil B, Khan NA & et al. Correlation between social media addiction and academic procrastination in medical students at public and private medical colleges at Peshawar. Pak J Med Sci. 2025; 41(3):837- 842.
14-Feng T, Wang B, Mi M & et al. The relationships between mental health and social media addiction, and between academic burnout and social media addiction among Chinese college students: A network analysis. Heliyon. 2025; 11(3): e41869.
15-Zhang G, Mao S. A double-edged sword: Social media use and creativity. Information Technology & People. 2025; 38(2):660-685.
16-Tolan ÖÇ. Developing University students coping skills with academic procrastination behavior: A cognitive behavioral theory based Psychoeducation practice. Journal of Computer and Education Research. 2023;11(22):728-743.
17-Yapan S, Murat M, Yavuz KF. Effects of acceptance and commitment therapy and cogntive behavioral therapy based psychoeducation programs on test anxiety. Journal of Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy and Research. 2021; 10(2):194-208.
18-Putwain DW, von der Embse NP. Cognitive–behavioral intervention for test anxiety in adolescent students: do benefits extend to school-related wellbeing and clinical anxiety. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping. 2021; 34(1):22-36.
19-Ahmadi Portsieh P, Akhavan Farid R, Kohansal L & et al. The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy on improving self-esteem and improving quality of life in divorced women. Rooyesh-e-Ravanshenasi Journal (RRJ). 2025; 13(9):221-230.[Persian]
20-Khurshid K, Mushtaq R, Rauf U & et al. Cognitive behavior therapy for academic burnout, procrastination, self-handicapping behavior, and test anxiety among adolescents: a randomized control trial. BMC psychology. 2025; 13(1):1-15.[Persian]
21-Uysal B, Gormez V, Karatepe HT & et al. Reducing test anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. Psychological Reports. 2024; 127(1):159-177.
22-Mousa SE. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in alleviating social media addiction among university youth groups. Egyptian Journal of Social Work. 2023; 15(1):175-200.
23-Hosseini Tabaghdehi L. Comparing the effectiveness of metacognitive strategies and stress management training based on cognitive behavioral approach on students’ exam anxiety. Educ Res. 2024; 10(39):28-37.[Persian]
24-Sadeghzadeh R, Ahadi H, Dortaj F & et al. The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and metacognition based learning combination on reducing social network dependency.J Psychol Sci. 2019; 18(78):659-666.[Persian]
25-Zhou X, Rau PL, Yang CL & et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy-based short-term abstinence intervention for problematic social media use: Improved well-being and underlying mechanisms. Psychiatric Quarterly. 2021; 92:761-79.
26-Cohen J. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge; 2013:502-514
27-Pour Hamidi M, Sarvghad S, Rezaei A. The comparison of the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral hypnotherapy on reducing anxiety signs and improving quality of life in first high school students' test anxiety of CHenarshahijan city a part of Iran in academic year of 2016-17. Psychological Models and Methods. 2019; 10(35):17-39.[Persian]
28- Spielberger CD. Test Anxiety Inventory. In: Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. 1st ed. New York: Wiley; 1980:1-10.
29-Spielberger CD, Vagg PR. Test anxiety: a transactional process model. In: Spielberger CD, Vagg PR, editors. Test anxiety: theory, assessment, and treatment. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor & Francis; 1995:3-14.
30-Hasani J. The role of the cognitive emotion regulation strategies in student's test anxiety. Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 2014;2(1):10–21.[Persian]
31-Khajeahmadi M, Pooladi S, Bahreini M. Design and Assessment of Psychometric Properties of the Addiction to Mobile Questionnaire Based on Social Networks. IJPN 2017; 4 (4) :43-51.
URL: http://ijpn.ir/article-1-884-fa.html.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Psychology
Received: 2025/03/30 | Accepted: 2025/06/7 | Published: 2025/09/11
Received: 2025/03/30 | Accepted: 2025/06/7 | Published: 2025/09/11
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