Exam is an academic stressor that frequently triggers the affective reaction of anxiety, as well as psychophysiological changes in the autonomic nervous system. Anxiety is a negative affective variable associated with a low level of performance. This study examined the impact of an academic exam on state anxiety (SA) levels and the effects on cardiovascular activity during its performance, as well as its possible influence on the score. The study group was composed of 122 female university students. Cardiovascular responses (heart rate [HR], diastolic blood pressure, and systolic blood pressure) were recorded continuously in three phases (before, during, and after the exam) for each participant. The SA was obtained with the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before the exam. Then, those with extremely low and high SA scores were assigned to the low and high anxiety groups, respectively. The exam score reflected the performance level. The results partially confirmed our hypotheses. The high SA group showed significant fluctuations in cardiovascular activity; in particular, the HRs were higher than in the low SA group during the exam (not in diastolic and systolic pressures, respectively). On the other hand, the high SA group showed lower performance expectations scores than the low SA group, and the level of performance was similar in the two groups. Therefore, the exam confirmed changes in the HR with respect to the SA level, with no significant impact on performance.

中文翻译：

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在学术考试中状态焦虑和心血管活动

考试是一种学业压力源，经常引发焦虑的情感反应，以及自主神经系统的心理生理变化。焦虑是与低水平表现相关的负面情感变量。本研究检查了学术考试对状态焦虑 (SA) 水平的影响，以及在其表现期间对心血管活动的影响，以及其对分数的可能影响。研究小组由122名女大学生组成。每个参与者的心血管反应（心率 [HR]、舒张压和收缩压）在三个阶段（检查前、检查中和检查后）连续记录。SA 是在考试前通过状态-特质焦虑量表 (STAI) 获得的。然后，SA 分数极低和极高的人分别被分配到低焦虑组和高焦虑组。考试成绩反映了成绩水平。结果部分证实了我们的假设。高SA组显示心血管活动显着波动；特别是，检查期间 HR 高于低 SA 组（分别不是舒张压和收缩压）。另一方面，高SA组表现出低于低SA组的绩效期望分数，并且两组的绩效水平相似。因此，考试确认了 HR 相对于 SA 水平的变化，对绩效没有显着影响。高SA组显示心血管活动显着波动；特别是，检查期间 HR 高于低 SA 组（分别不是舒张压和收缩压）。另一方面，高SA组表现出低于低SA组的绩效期望分数，并且两组的绩效水平相似。因此，考试确认了 HR 相对于 SA 水平的变化，对绩效没有显着影响。高SA组显示心血管活动显着波动；特别是，检查期间 HR 高于低 SA 组（分别不是舒张压和收缩压）。另一方面，高SA组表现出低于低SA组的绩效期望分数，并且两组的绩效水平相似。因此，考试确认了 HR 相对于 SA 水平的变化，对绩效没有显着影响。