Dave Putwain

Test Anxiety Prevalence and Gender Differences in a Sample of English Secondary School Students.

The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of students who report themselves as highly test anxious in a sample of English secondary schools and whether this proportion differed by gender. Self-report test anxiety data were collected from 2435 secondary school students in 11 schools. Results showed that 16.4% of the sample reported themselves to be highly test anxious, with the proportion significantly higher in female students (22.5%) than male students (10.3%). Moderate gender differences were present in the worry and tension components of test anxiety and small differences in the social derogation component. While not all highly test anxious students might be at risk of underperformance and disengagement from school and academic activities, there may still be a sizable group of students who would benefit from specific support and intervention.

Stress and anxiety surrounding forthcoming Standard Assessment Tests in English schoolchildren

The Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) taken by pupils in their final year of primary schooling in England have been widely criticised for placing children under too pressure and contributing to an increase in test-related stress and anxiety. In this exploratory study we set out to explore the experiences of forthcoming SATs in a small sample of children using an appraisal model of stress and to reflect on whether these criticisms are justified. Results from focus groups with pupils and interviews with class and head teachers suggested that there was diversity in pupils’ experiences their tests. The pressures associated with SATs did not necessarily lead to negative outcomes and some children described SATs in more positive ways, as challenging rather than threatening. Self-worth judgements played a central role in individual-level appraisal and may also provide a useful link to discourses surrounding the value of academic credentials.

Identification and Validation of a Brief Test Anxiety Screening Tool

The implementation of test-based accountability policies around the world has increased the pressure placed on students to perform well on state achievement tests. Educational researchers have begun taking a closer look at the reciprocal effects of test anxiety and high-stakes testing. However, existing test anxiety assessments lack efficiency and ease of use necessary for universal screening and progress monitoring in school settings. This study investigated the psychometric properties of a brief version of the FRIEDBEN Test Anxiety Scale (B-FTAS), which has the unique strength of measuring test anxiety using a contemporary biopsychosocial model. The B-FTAS was administered to 1,463 high school students across 6 school districts 1 week before a high-stakes test. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified a 3-factor, brief, 12-item test anxiety assessment consistent with a biopsychosocial model including social, cognitive, and physiological factors. Results provide sufficient evidence for internal reliability and validity of this brief measure of test anxiety. Implications for future development and use of screening instruments in the assessment of high or debilitating anxiety are discussed.

Personal Self-regulation, Self-regulated Learning and Coping Strategies, in University Context with Stress

Personal self-regulation is an important variable in education and research, but self-regulated learning is the construct seen most often in the educational context. Existing studies do not seek to establish relationships between personal self-regulation and other educational variables. We define conceptual characteristics and relationships of personal self-regulation (personal presage variable), self-regulated learning (meta-cognitive, process variable) and coping strategies (meta-motivational, meta-affective process variable), establishing the importance of these variables in future meta-cognition research. These relationships have been established conceptually and empirically within the 3P and DEDEPRO Models, and are confirmed in recent research: namely, the importance of personal self-regulation in determining the degree of cognitive self-regulation during the process of university learning with stress; the relationship between personal self-regulation and the type and quantity of coping strategies, and the relationship between self-regulated learning and coping. We conclude by discussing our experience with an online self-help system designed for university students.

Reducing test anxiety among school-aged adolescents: a field experiment

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a multimodal and information technology (IT)-delivered intervention for test anxiety. Participants were randomly allocated to an intervention or waiting list group. Test anxiety was measured pre- and post-intervention and academic buoyancy, a construct that refers to students’ capacity to withstand academic challenge and pressure, as a covariate. In the intervention group, 13.7% of participants completed the full intervention programme comprising six sessions; 25.5% partially completed the programme (one or more sessions); and 60.8% of participants chose not to complete any sessions. Results showed that, after completing the intervention and when controlling for academic buoyancy, highly test anxious students showed a reduction in the worry and tension components of test anxiety, relative to those who did not complete the intervention. The findings suggest that the intervention may offer highly test anxious students a means of reducing their anxiety that does not rely on face-to-face delivery.