No abstract

Financial stress is commonly experienced among college students and is associated with adverse academic, mental health, and physical health outcomes. Surprisingly, no validated measures of financial stress have been developed for undergraduate populations. The present study was conducted to generate and evaluate a measure of financial stress for undergraduate students. The newly developed scale and measures of demographics, general stress, and health were completed by 177 undergraduates. The reliability, validity, and factor structure of the new scale were evaluated. Results indicate good reliability and validity, suggesting that the measure can be used in research and in applied settings to assess financial stress. Possible implications are discussed.

According to Cognitive Interference Theory, evaluation anxiety leads to increased negative off-task self-dialogue which then results in diminished cognitive performance. Given that negative off-task self-dialogue is primarily verbal, the phonological loop and central executive components of the working memory system should be most affected by evaluation anxiety. Eighty-eight participants were randomly assigned to receive evaluation anxiety inducing instructions or supportive instructions prior to administration of three tests (Digit Span, Visual Memory Span, and StroopColour-Word) that measured the phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, and central executive components of working memory. Measures of evaluation anxiety and negative off-task self-dialogue were obtained during and after testing. Results showed that participants receiving anxiety inducing instructions reported significantly more evaluation anxiety and off-task self-dialogue. They also had significantly lower performance on the Digit Span Test and the StroopColour-Word Test. Negative off-task self-dialogue also mediated the relationship between evaluation anxiety and performance on the Digit Span Test.

No abstract

No abstract