The realtionship of personality traits, self-efficacy, trait anxiety and optimism to test anxiety

Abstract

This study's aim was to investigate the effect of a number of variables on the level of students' test anxiety. One hundred part-time students, male and female, from the 2nd and 4th year classes, completed self-report measures of test anxiety, self-efficacy, life orientation, personality traits and trait-state anxiety. results revealed no significant difference in levels of test anxiety between genders and between 2nd and 4th year students. A negative significant relationship was found between test anxiety and both self-efficacy and optimism, and a significant positive relationshsip was found between test anxiety and trait anxiety and neuroticism. Further results didn't support the research's premises as test anxiety levels were not found to be significantly related to conscientiousness. Lastly, a multiple regression analysis found optimism and trait anxiety to be significant predictors of test anxiety. Avenues of further research and implications for the development of interventions to help students cope with test anxiety are discussed. Author keywords: test anxiety, gender conscientiousness, neuroticism, self-efficacy, optimism, life orientation, state-trait anxiety