Test anxiety is a specific type of state anxiety when a person experiences perceived pressure to excel on a test. Test anxiety not only hinders test performance, but the person's long-term psychophysiological health. Many students struggle with test anxiety, but females have a higher incidence of test anxiety than males. Bouts of aerobic exercise have been shown to decrease state anxiety but no work has been done examining the effects of resistance training on state anxiety. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare the effects of acute aerobic and resistance exercise bouts on test anxiety among recreationally active females. Chain-referral (snowball) sampling will be used to recruit females aged 18-40 from South Texas to participate in this study. A balanced cross-over design will be used in which participants will undergo three different trials, two consisting of 20 minutes of a different exercise bout (aerobic and resistance) and one control of quietly sitting for 20 minutes. Next, participants will complete a measure of anxiety, Spielberger's Test Anxiety Inventory, before, during, and immediately following a standardized math test. In the study's mean and range, there were no significant differences seen between exercise modes for emotionality score (p=0.5040). For the worry score mean and range, there were no significant differences between exercise modes. (p=0.2930). Mean (Range), no significant differences were seen between exercise modes for overall test anxiety score. (p=0.1080). Results from this study may provide females with an effective option to reduce test anxiety.

 Faculty Mentor: Dr. Christopher Hearon

Department of Health and Kinesiology