Research Article
Test Anxiety: Gender Differences in Elementary School Students

Utkun Aydin

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Aydin. Test anxiety: gender differences in elementary school students. European J Ed Res. 2019;8(1):21-30. doi: 10.12973/eu-jer.8.1.21
Aydin, U. (2019). Test anxiety: gender differences in elementary school students. European Journal of Educational Research, 8(1), 21-30. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.8.1.21
Aydin Utkun. "Test Anxiety: Gender Differences in Elementary School Students," European Journal of Educational Research 8, no. 1 (2019): 21-30. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.8.1.21
Aydin, 2019, 'Test anxiety: gender differences in elementary school students', European Journal of Educational Research, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 21-30. Aydin, Utkun. "Test Anxiety: Gender Differences in Elementary School Students." European Journal of Educational Research, vol. 8, no. 1, 2019, pp. 21-30, https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.8.1.21.

Abstract

Students’ test anxiety is known to have significant influences on essential academic outcomes, and given the increased testing of school-aged children gender differences also appear in dimensions of test anxiety: thoughts, off-task behaviors, and autonomic reactions. This study examined: (i) whether there is a pattern of correlations exist among three dimensions of test anxiety that are tapped by the Children’s Test Anxiety Scale (Wren & Benson, 2004) and (ii) whether gender differences exist in the strength of these test anxiety dimensions. Students (N= 414) from 3 public schools, attending to the fourth grade (205 Females; 209 Males) were asked to rate on the thoughts (cognitive), off-task behaviors (behavioral), autonomic reactions (physiological) dimensions. The results revealed a strong relationship between thoughts and autonomic reactions (r = .57). Applying a multivariate approach, gender differences were found to be significant in overall test anxiety favoring females. Results also revealed a small female advantage for thoughts and autonomic reactions, Ƞ2 = .012 and Ƞ2= .016; but quite a small male advantage for off-task behaviors Ƞ2=.009. Taken as a whole, we need to seriously consider the implications of these differences and pay attention particularly to females in elementary schools.

Keywords: Test anxiety, test attitude, gender differences, elementary education, children’s test anxiety scale


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