Testing times: the association of intolerance of uncertainty and metacognitive beliefs to test anxiety in college students

Abstract

Background Test anxiety has a detrimental effect on test performance but current interventions for test anxiety have limited efficacy. Therefore, examination of newer psychological models of test anxiety is now required. Two transdiagnostic psychological models of emotional disorders that can account for anxiety are the intolerance of uncertainty model (IUM) and the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model. Intolerance of uncertainty, the stable disposition to find uncertainty distressing, is central to the IUM, while beliefs about thinking, metacognition, are central to the S-REF model. We tested for the first time the role of both intolerance of uncertainty and metacognitive beliefs in test anxiety. Methods A cross-sectional design was used, with college students (n = 675) completing questionnaires assessing their test anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and metacognitive beliefs. Hierarchical linear regressions examined if intolerance of uncertainty and metacognitive beliefs were associated with test anxiety, after controlling for age and gender. Results Females reported significantly more test anxiety than males. Partial correlations, controlling for gender, found intolerance of uncertainty and metacognitive beliefs were significantly and positively correlated with test anxiety. Hierarchical linear regressions found metacognitive beliefs explained an additional 13% of variance in test anxiety, after controlling for intolerance of uncertainty. When the order of entry was reversed, intolerance of uncertainty was only able to explain an additional 2% of variance, after controlling for metacognitive beliefs. In the final regression model, gender, intolerance of uncertainty and the metacognitive belief domains of ‘negative beliefs about the uncontrollability and danger of worry’ and ‘cognitive confidence’ were all significantly associated test anxiety, with ‘negative beliefs about the uncontrollability and danger of worry’ having the largest association. Conclusions Both intolerance of uncertainty and metacognitive beliefs are linked to test anxiety, but results suggest metacognitive beliefs have more explanatory utility, providing greater support for the S-REF model. Modification of intolerance of uncertainty and metacognitive beliefs could alleviate test anxiety and help students fulfil their academic potential.

Lise Öğrencilerine Uygulanan Sınav Kaygısını Yönetme Programının Sınav Kaygısı Üzerindeki Etkisi

“…In addition, there are different studies showing that girls experience more test anxiety than boys (Huntley, Young, Tudur Smith, Jha, & Fisher, 2022;Dowker & Sheridan, 2022). Gender differences in test anxiety may have two separate explanations.…”

The relationship between COVID-19 stress and test anxiety in art students: the chain mediating roles of intolerance of uncertainty and sleep quality

“…When faced with uncertain situations, high IU individuals may engage in risky cognitive explanations and experience increased worry and anxiety, which can contribute to heightened test anxiety among students [17,28,29]. And previous studies have demonstrated that intolerance of uncertainty is a direct predictor of test anxiety [30,31]. Studies have shown that student athletes' intolerance of uncertainty is a significant predictor of test anxiety [32].…”

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“…Dito isto, deve-se ter em conta que pesquisas prévias evidenciam que outras variáveis que podem contribuir para a ansiedade cognitiva de provas, como, por exemplo, as crenças metacognitivas, a intolerância à incerteza, os pensamentos negativos persistentes (Huntley et al, 2022). Outro aspecto que apresenta relevância na literatura são as estratégias de enfrentamento, nesse sentido, o tipo de estratégia utilizada pode influenciar nos níveis de ansiedade de prova, enfatizando-se o papel das estratégias adaptativas, que se pautam na orientação para a tarefa e na busca de apoio social (Arana & Furlan, 2016;Shimave et al, 2020).…”