The present study assessed test-taking strategies awareness, test anxiety, and test performance relationships among Iranian ESP students. The sample was comprised of 60 students majoring in Bachelor of Science Civil Engineering who were enrolled in an ESP course. All participants completed the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT) as a requirement for ensuring homogeneity regarding language ability. Participants also completed Barati's (2005) test-taking strategies questionnaire and a standard test anxiety scale, and test performance was assessed by ESP course examinations. Pearson correlation analysis produced three general findings: First, there was significant positive correlation between test-taking strategies awareness and test performance, such that students with higher strategy awareness had better test scores. Second, test anxiety was significantly and negatively correlated with test performance. Third, an inverse correlation existed between test-taking strategies awareness and test anxiety, suggesting that students employing more strategies experienced less anxiety. These findings highlight the interdependent functioning of strategy awareness and anxiety control in performance. The results suggest that ESP instruction needs to integrate training in the use of test-taking strategies and anxiety reduction in order to assist students most effectively. The study contributes to our understanding of factors influencing language test performance in ESP settings.

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of binaural beats on test anxiety, cognitive ability, and executive function memory in students with test anxiety. The present research design was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest type. The statistical population was the second high school male students of Qazvin city in 1403, 30 of whom were eligible to enter the study and were randomly assigned to 2 experimental and control groups (15 people each). The research instruments were Nejati's Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire (2013), the Corsi Blocks Test (1970), and the Friedman and Jacob Test Anxiety Questionnaire (1977). Then, participants in the experimental group received 10 Hz binaural beats through headphones for 30 minutes, 4 times a week, for four weeks. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used in SPSS statistical software version 24 to analyze the data. The findings showed that 10 Hz binaural beats significantly improved working memory (p<0. 05), increased cognitive abilities (except in the components of inhibitory control, planning, and social cognition) (p<0. 05), and reduced the level of test anxiety (p<0. 05). Therefore, it can be stated that the alpha band brainwave synchronization therapy method, as a non-invasive intervention method, can be used to reduce test anxiety and improve working memory and cognitive function ability.