The influence of personality factors, value appraisals, and control appraisals on cognitive test anxiety

Abstract

Cognitive test anxiety is a considerable barrier to academic success. The control value theory of achievement emotions suggests emotions within academic situations—including test‐anxious responses—follow from control and value appraisals. Furthermore, the control value theory suggests a multitude of individual‐level factors that influence appraisals. However, few investigations have explored the interactive influence of enduring personality traits and control and value appraisals on the experience of cognitive test anxiety. The current study was designed to explore the relationship among openness to experience, neuroticism, conscientiousness, control and value appraisals, and cognitive test anxiety. Participants (N = 481) completed the Big Five Inventory, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale‐Short Form. Using exploratory structural equation modeling, we demonstrated that value and control appraisals were important predictors of cognitive test anxiety. Furthermore, results indicated that openness to experience was a positive predictor of value appraisals. Finally, results indicated that higher levels of control appraisals were associated with higher levels of conscientiousness and openness to experience and lower levels of neuroticism. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the determinants of cognitive test anxiety and have implications for efforts designed to identify test‐anxious students.

Validation of the State Version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in a University Sample

“…Participants reported how well each of the presented statements describes their typical reactions to evaluative situations using a 4-point Likert-type scale (1 = not at all like me , 4 = very much like me ). Sample items include: “I get distracted from studying for tests by thoughts of failing” and “When I take a test that is difficult, I feel defeated before I even start.” Multiple validation studies with the CTAS have confirmed validity through scale construct (e.g., Cassady & Finch, 2014, 2015) and convergent validity analyses (e.g., Cassady et al, 2019; Thomas & Cassady, 2019). The CTAS-2 demonstrated excellent internal consistency in the current examination (Cronbach’s α = .96, McDonalds’s ω = .96).…”

Cognitive and personality test as a predictor of religious education achievement among students of religious program of Islamic schools in Indonesia

“…The findings of this study are in line with Paunonen & Ashton (2001); Geramian, Mashayekhi, & Ninggal (2012) who assumed that openness to experience and conscientiousness is the strongest predictors of academic achievement. In the same way, Stewart, Bond, Deeds, Westrick, & Wong (1999); Ehrler (2005); Treiber (2010); Nighute, S., & Sadawarte, S. K. (2014); Gatzka & Hell (2018); Mammadov, Cross, & Ward (2018); Thomas & Cassady (2019) revealed that openness to experience and conscientiousness is very important predictors in predicting academic achievement.…”

Ansiedade cognitiva de provas em universitários do Brasil: O papel das variáveis sociodemográficas e traços de personalidade

“…Além disso, a ansiedade gerada durante o processo avaliativo pode influenciar aspectos sociais, levando a buscar estratégias de enfrentamento como o uso de substâncias (e.g., álcool, tabaco, canábis, estimulantes), possuindo mediadores sociais como idade, gênero e contextos situacionais, como o acadêmico Esse fenômeno é mais comum no ambiente acadêmico (Liu et al, 2021), influenciando o desempenho dos alunos, seja em avaliações que envolvam algum risco, em sala de aula ou ambientes laboratoriais (Thomas et al, 2017). Em suma, pessoas ansiosas sob situações de estresse, tendem a ter o desempenho cognitivo afetado (Thomas & Cassady, 2019). Dessa forma, o estudante ao enxergar a situação como ameaçadora, considerar-se incapaz de enfrentá-la, antecipar o fracasso e focar nas consequências de um mau desempenho são aspectos característicos da ansiedade em conjunturas avaliativas (Jolly et al, 2021;Thomas & Cassady, 2019).…”

“…Em suma, pessoas ansiosas sob situações de estresse, tendem a ter o desempenho cognitivo afetado (Thomas & Cassady, 2019). Dessa forma, o estudante ao enxergar a situação como ameaçadora, considerar-se incapaz de enfrentá-la, antecipar o fracasso e focar nas consequências de um mau desempenho são aspectos característicos da ansiedade em conjunturas avaliativas (Jolly et al, 2021;Thomas & Cassady, 2019).…”