Abstract

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of guided and unguided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapies (iCBT) in reducing test anxiety. A total of 64 participants were included in the study, with 32 in the guided group and 32 in the unguided group. Test anxiety levels before and after the intervention were measured using the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), and adherence was assessed based on the completion percentage of the iCBT program. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. A significant main effect was found for the time factor (F(1, 62) = 108.046, p < .001), but the time × group interaction was not significant (F(1, 62) = 1.153, p = .287). Holm-adjusted post hoc analyses revealed significant and large effect size reductions in test anxiety scores in both groups (unguided group: d = 1.562; guided group: d = 1.922). No significant difference was observed between the groups' final test scores (p = .832, d = 0.153), and the effect size difference was also not significant (z = 0.63, p = .528). Furthermore, the percentage of guided group members using iCBT was significantly higher than that of the unguided group (U = 336.000, p = .017), but no significant relationship was found between the percentage of use and the change in test anxiety (r = .127, p = .317). The findings indicate that guided intervention has the potential to increase user adherence, while unguided iCBT may also be an effective and independently applicable intervention option. In conclusion, both intervention formats offer effective, accessible, and flexible psychological support options for reducing test anxiety.

Keywords: Test anxiety, Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, Cognitive behavioral therapy

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Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

How to cite

Avcil, C., & Herdi, O. (2026). Comparison of guided and unguided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for test anxiety. Education and Science, 51(226), 405-420. https://doi.org/10.15390/ES.2026.2463