Don't let exam season become a "season of anxiety."

Every exam season, the pressure of grades, family expectations, and anxieties about the future can easily cause many students to become stressed, even leading to conflicts with their parents. Reducing these invisible pressures becomes a crucial factor in helping candidates enter the exam room with a confident mindset.

Báo Đà Nẵng•10/05/2026

Professor, Doctor of Psychology Le Quang Son.

In an interview with Da Nang Weekend, Professor Dr. Le Quang Son, a psychologist from the Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy - University of Da Nang, shared his professional perspectives and helpful tips to make exam season less of a "season of anxiety".

Professor Le Quang Son, why do students often have conflicts with their parents during exam season, even though both sides want the best possible results?

- Regarding learning and exams, conflicts always exist between parents and children: conflicts between parental expectations and the student's desires and abilities; conflicts between the desire for independence and excessive parental concern (promoting health, building "barriers" against daily habits like watching movies, socializing with friends, etc.) to help children focus on studying; and the imposition of parents' personal experiences (study methods, schedules, tutoring classes) on their children.

These conflicts are amplified in the context of both parents and students being under pressure regarding exam results, experiencing psychological stress and physical fatigue, which easily leads to disagreements and sometimes even clashes between students and parents, even though both sides want the best possible outcome.

* From a psychological perspective, Professor, could you suggest some methods for parents to "cool down" their personal expectations, truly listen to and support their children instead of inadvertently creating more pressure?

- Actually, "cooling down" expectations isn't about reducing love, but about adjusting the way you love. First, parents should reflect on themselves, recognize and appreciate their own values and successes so as not to turn their children into "upgraded versions" or force them to fulfill their unfinished dreams.

Next, instead of comparing your child to other children, compare your child today to your child yesterday. This reduces pressure on both parents and children. Parents also need to remember that children have their own lives; no one can live their lives for them. Therefore, what parents need to do is accompany them like a close friend, guiding them step by step towards adulthood. Put yourself in your child's shoes and context to make choices and decisions. The main path in raising children is to guide them from being dependent on their parents to becoming independent and self-reliant individuals.

* Besides family support, what else, according to the professor, should schools and students themselves prepare to build "psychological resilience"?

- Building "psychological resilience" is a long-term endeavor, requiring coordinated efforts between family, school, and society. Students are the central actors in this process.

From the students' perspective, the first step is to improve their physical fitness through suitable sports to enhance both physical and mental resilience. At the same time, they should adjust their self-perception: avoid comparing themselves to others, set achievable goals, and accept their imperfections, avoiding a perfectionist mindset that easily leads to pressure and fear of failure.

Proactively creating a study plan, combined with a healthy lifestyle including proper eating, sleeping, and exercise, helps foster a proactive mindset and reduce stress. Spend 10-15 minutes each day reviewing your studies, counting what you accomplished and what you didn't, and choosing one area to improve the next day. Importantly, openly share your goals and expectations to set boundaries for others, especially your parents.

Exam season — During exam season, what parents need to do is be a supportive friend, guiding their children step by step towards becoming mature adults.

From the school's perspective, it is crucial to uphold the humanistic educational philosophy: each student is a unique individual who should be evaluated based on their own progress, rather than comparisons with others. The learning environment should facilitate students' exploration of their multifaceted abilities, thereby fostering objective self-assessment and setting appropriate expectations.

Simultaneously, counseling and psychological support activities need to be implemented systematically, professionally, and integrated with the community support system, in order to promptly accompany and support students during stressful periods.

* In a specific situation, such as in the exam room, when stress levels are high, what "psychological techniques" can candidates apply to quickly regain composure and focus on the exam, Professor?

- When feeling overly stressed, candidates can apply some simple but effective techniques to regain calmness and focus.

First, practice mindfulness combined with deep breathing, an easy method that helps stabilize heart rate and calm the mind. Students can inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and exhale for 6 seconds, focusing all their attention on their breathing.

In addition, diaphragmatic breathing is also very helpful: sit comfortably, place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen to feel the movement of your breath; inhale slowly through your nose so that your abdomen expands while your chest remains almost still, then contract your abdomen and exhale slowly through your mouth, with the exhalation time being twice as long as the inhalation. Maintaining this for about 2-3 minutes will help your body relax noticeably.

Additionally, candidates can relax their bodies in sections by tightening a muscle group (such as the arms or shoulders) for about 5 seconds, then completely relaxing, repeating this process throughout the entire body to reduce muscle tension.

At the same time, don't forget to relax your eyes using the 20-20-20 rule: after every 20 minutes of studying, look into the distance about 6 meters for 20 seconds. These "short breaks" don't waste time; on the contrary, they help reduce stress and restore concentration for more effective studying.