We develop and validate a short self-report measure of test anxiety, the Trait Test Anxiety Inventory – Short (TTAI-S) following the Kane (2013) validation framework. Data were collected from three independent samples of young adults in the US ( N = 629; Mage = 22.25 years). Evidence was gathered to support three aspects of the validity argument (i.e., scoring, extrapolation, and generalization). Good internal consistency and confirmed structure of a single factor supported scoring inferences. Scalar measurement invariance between different samples (Internet vs. undergraduate students) and demographic subgroups (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, and parental educational attainment) provided evidence for generalization inferences. Significant associations between the TTAI-S score and theoretically relevant (state test anxiety, performance expectation, and self-confidence in math) and weaker associations with less relevant constructs (enjoyment, motivation, and values in learning math) substantiated extrapolation inferences. Having established measurement invariance, we examined demographic differences and found that students historically underserved or underrepresented in STEM disciplines reported greater test anxiety than their counterparts. These findings support the validity of the TTAI-S, a concise measure that is easy to administer and easy to score. The TTAI-S may be used to further investigate trait test anxiety for a diverse population, particularly factors that may contribute to or mitigate group differences.

We investigated how the transition to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic affected students’ engagement, self-appraisals, and learning in advanced placement (AP) Statistics courses. Participants included 681 (Mage=16.7 years, SDage=.90; %female=55.4) students enrolled in the course during 2017–2018 (N=266), 2018–2019 (N=200), and the pandemic-affected 2019–2020 (N=215) school years. Students enrolled during the pandemic-affected year reported a greater improvement in affective engagement but a decrease in cognitive engagement in the spring semester relative to a previous year. Females enrolled in the pandemic-affected year experienced a greater negative change in affective and behavioral engagement. Students enrolled during the pandemic-affected year reported a greater decrease in their anticipated AP exam scores and received lower scores on a practice exam aligned with the AP exam compared to a prior year. Although students were resilient in some respects, their self-appraisal and learning appear to have been negatively affected by pandemic circumstances.

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