Coping Strategies for English Exam-Related Stress

This work examines strategies of coping with stress while preparing for a foreign language exam on the example of English exams. The research problem is the need to study the relationship between the choice of coping strategies before English exam and the result of the exam. The aim of this work is to study coping strategies while preparation for English exam. As a hypothesis of the study, it is suggested that there are differences in the result of the exam in terms of choosing a coping strategy before the exam: students who speak language at the C2 level (CEFR) are more likely to choose effective coping strategies, such as "planning" and "seeking for social support". Such research methods as literature analysis, the “WOCQ” questionnaire by R. Lazarus and S. Folkman, the method of semi-structured interview are used. The theoretical part of this paper discusses the concept of coping behavior, classification of coping strategies, the effectiveness of coping strategies and includes a review of previous researches on coping strategies behavior during preparation for exam. In the empirical part of this work a study was conducted, the results show that there are no differences in the result of exam in terms of choosing coping strategies before the exam, however, all the respondents in the interview advise future examinees to use the strategy of "planning", as they consider it the most effective. The paper also indicates the prospects for future research.