Effects of math self-concept, perceived self-efficacy, and attributions for failure and success on test anxiety.

Abstract

Structural equation modeling was used to test a model of test anxiety. Variables in the model included gender, number of years since one's last math course, attributions for failure and success, math self-concept, perceived self-efficacy, achievemetn, general test anxiety, and statistical test anxiety. Failure and success attributions were found to influence general test anxiety and statistical test anxiety for both male and female students. Women who attributed success to behavioral causes were found to have higher levels of math self-concept than women attributing success to external causes. For men, those attributing failure to external causes were found to have higher levels of the worry component of statistical test anxiety. Math self-concept was negatively related to both general test anxiety and statistics test anxiety, whereas perceived selft-efficacy had a negative relationship with the worry component of statistics anxiety.