The Use of Physical Activity in Coping with Test Anxiety Among Students: A Systematic Review

Test anxiety is a specific form of anxiety that occurs in evaluative situations, comprising psychological, physiological, and behavioral reactions associated with concern about outcomes. Aiming to analyze the relationship between physical activity and coping with anxiety, particularly test anxiety, in students aged 13 to 25 years, as well as the effects on mental health, this review followed the PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Lilacs, Cochrane, Medline, and Scielo databases, from January 2014 to January 2024, to select randomized and controlled clinical studies (including cluster-randomized) and quasi-experimental studies in English and Portuguese, focusing on the relationship between physical activity and anxiety, particularly test anxiety, in the context of mental health. Two independent researchers performed data extraction. The quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the risk of bias was evaluated using the RoB 2.0 tool. A total of 537 articles were found, and 14 were included via Rayyan. The selected scientific studies indicate an effective relationship between physical activity and coping with general anxiety, but clinical studies specifically related to test anxiety are still scarce. The reviewed studies support this positive relationship, which could be further explored in future research and diversified practices offered to students.