Exploring Cross-Cultural and Gender Differences in Test Anxiety Among U.S. and Canadian College Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Lowe

Existing measures of test anxiety used with the college student population are old with old norms and old items, and they do not capture the multiple dimensions of the test anxiety construct or assess facilitating anxiety. In the present study, the validity of the scores of a new, multidimensional measure of test anxiety with a facilitating component, the Test Anxiety Measure for College Students (TAM-C) was examined in a sample of 1,344 Canadian and U.S. college students. Tests of measurement invariance were performed across culture and gender on the TAM-C and cultural and gender differences were explored. The results of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses across culture and gender supported strong invariance on the TAM-C. Latent mean analyses were also conducted and cultural and gender differences were found on the TAM-C. Although additional research is needed, the TAM-C appears to be a promising new measure for use with Canadian and U.S. college students.

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunyi Cho ◽  
Kari Wilson ◽  
Jounghwa Choi

This study investigated whether and how dimensions of perceived realism of television medical dramas are linked to perceptions of physicians. The three dimensions of perceived realism were considered: plausibility, typicality, and narrative consistency. Data from a survey of college students were examined with confirmatory factor analyses and hierarchical regression analyses. Across the three dramas (ER, Grey’s Anatomy, and House), narrative consistency predicted positive perceptions about physicians. Perceived plausibility and typicality of the medical dramas showed no significant association with perceptions about physicians. These results illustrate the importance of distinguishing different dimensions of perceived realism and the importance of narrative consistency in influencing social beliefs.


2010 ◽  
Vol 107 (3) ◽  
pp. 939-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Mohan Raju ◽  
Misganaw Mesfin ◽  
Esa Alia

Sarason's Test Anxiety Scale, translated into an Ethiopian language, was administered to 391 students in Grade 8 and to 422 students in preparatory school (Grades 11 and 12). In the first sample, 32 items loaded above the 0.3 criterion of acceptable item-remainder correlations and Cronbach alpha of .84. In the second sample, Cronbach alpha was .84 for the 34 items, but only 19 items had acceptable item-remainder correlations. The internal consistency reliabilities were comparable with those reported in the literature. However, the results of confirmatory factor analyses with extraction of four factors did not confirm the item loadings on factors as reported in the literature. Younger students (Grade 8) were found to have higher mean Test Anxiety than Grades 11 and 12 students. The Amharik version of the Test Anxiety Scale as a whole could be considered reliable and useful for Ethiopian students.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vello Hein ◽  
Arunas Emeljanovas ◽  
Brigita Mieziene

The present study examined the validity of the factor structure and invariance of the Controlling Teacher Behaviours Scale (CTBS) across two nations. Data were collected from Estonian ( n=453) and Lithuanian ( n=431) students using the multidimensional measure of teachers’ controlling behaviours. Multi-sample confirmatory factor analyses showed that the measure of teachers’ controlling behaviours with four scales (negative conditional regard, controlling use of rewards, excessive personal control and intimidation) were partially invariant at the configural, metric and strong invariance level. The results of the latent mean estimates showed no differences between Estonian and Lithuanian students in respect of the perception of the use of reward, whereas the perception of negative conditional regard, intimidation and excessive personal control appeared to be higher for Estonian students. The results indicated that CTBS is generally suitable for measuring the perceptions of teachers’ controlling behaviour among Estonian and Lithuanian students. Furthermore, results established that one item was perceived differently across samples and, therefore, there is a need for further research to test the invariance of the CTBS among student samples with different cultural backgrounds.


SAGE Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401666954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sati Bozkurt ◽  
Gizem B. Ekitli ◽  
Christopher L. Thomas ◽  
Jerrell C. Cassady

The current study explored the psychometric properties of the newly designed Turkish version of the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale–Revised (CTAR). Results of an exploratory factor analysis revealed an unidimensional structure consistent with the conceptualized nature of cognitive test anxiety and previous examinations of the English version of the CTAR. Examination of the factor loadings revealed two items that were weakly related to the test anxiety construct and as such were prime candidates for removal. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to compare model fit for the 25- and 23-item version of the measure. Results indicated that the 23-item version of the measure provided a better fit to the data which support the removal of the problematic items in the Turkish version of the CTAR. Additional analyses demonstrated the internal consistency, test–retest reliability, concurrent validity, and gender equivalence for responses offered on the Turkish version of the measure. Results of the analysis revealed a 23-item Turkish version of the T-CTAR is a valid and reliable measure of cognitive test anxiety for use among Turkish students.


2001 ◽  
Vol 13 (S1) ◽  
pp. 79-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa J. Clarke ◽  
Victor W. Marshall ◽  
Carol D. Ryff ◽  
Blair Wheaton

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CHSA) provided an opportunity to examine the positive aspects of aging. CHSA-2 included the 18-item Ryff multidimensional measure of well-being, which taps six core theoretical dimensions of positive psychological functioning. The measure was administered to 4,960 seniors without severe cognitive impairment or dementia at CSHA-2. Intercorrelations across scales were generally low. At the same time, the internal consistency reliability of each of the 6 subscales was not found to be high. Confirmatory factor analyses provide support for a 6-factor model, although some items demonstrate poor factor loadings. The well-being measures in CSHA-2 provide an opportunity to examine broad, descriptive patterns of well-being in Canadian seniors.


2020 ◽  
pp. 073428292096294
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Lowe

A short form of the 43-item Test Anxiety Measure for College Students (TAM-C) was developed in the present study. The TAM-C consists of six (social concerns, cognitive interference, worry, physiological hyperarousal, task irrelevant behaviors, and facilitating anxiety) scales. Twenty-four items from the TAM-C were selected for the short form. Single-group confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and correlational analyses were conducted with the responses of 728 U.S. college students to the TAM-C Short Form. Results of the single-group CFAs supported a six-factor model for the TAM-C Short Form. Concurrent and convergent validity evidence was found for the TAM-C Short Form scores. Overall, the findings suggest the TAM-C Short Form is an economical measure with unique features to assess test and facilitating anxiety in the college student population.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 714-737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen W. Loke ◽  
Patricia A. Lowe ◽  
Rebecca P. Ang

Construct bias was examined among 316 Singapore and U.S. adolescents on the Narcissistic Personality Questionnaire for Children–Revised (NPQC-R). The NPQC-R consists of two (Superiority and Exploitativeness) factors. Results from multigroup confirmatory factor analyses indicated partial strong invariance on the NPQC-R across culture and strong invariance across gender. These results do not provide support for the presence of construct bias in the NPQC-R across culture and gender in our sample of Singapore and U.S. adolescents, ages 12 to 14. Furthermore, examination of latent means indicated that U.S. students reported higher levels of Superiority compared with Singapore students, but no significant difference was found in the levels of Exploitativeness between Singapore and U.S. students. In addition, males and females had similar levels of Superiority and Exploitativeness. Implications of the findings of the study are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Lowe

The psychometric properties of a new, multidimensional measure of test anxiety, the Test Anxiety Measure for College Students (TAM-C), were examined in a sample of 720 undergraduate students. Results of confirmatory factor analyses provided support for a six-factor (Cognitive Interference, Physiological Hyperarousal, Social Concerns, Task-Irrelevant Behaviors, Worry, and Facilitating Anxiety) model. Cronbach’s coefficient alphas ranged from .75 to .95 for the TAM-C scores. Gender differences were found on four of the TAM-C scales, with females reporting higher levels of test anxiety than males. Convergent and discriminant evidence of validity for the TAM-C scores was found. Implications of the findings for mental health professionals who work with college students are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Lowe

The psychometric properties of a new multidimensional measure of test anxiety, the Test Anxiety Measure for College Students (TAM-C), based on theory and current research were examined in a sample of 312 Canadian college students online. The TAM-C consists of a Facilitating Anxiety scale and five test anxiety (Cognitive Interference, Physiological Hyperarousal, Social Concerns, Task Irrelevant Behaviors, and Worry) scales. Results of confirmatory factor analyses validated the TAM-C six-factor structure. In addition, composite reliabilities were reported to be adequate. Furthermore, convergent and discriminant evidence of validity was found for the TAM-C scores. These findings are the first to be reported on the psychometric properties of the TAM-C scores outside the United States. Although additional research is needed with the TAM-C, it has the potential to become a useful measure to Canadian mental health professionals in their work with test-anxious college students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luana Elayne Cunha de Souza ◽  
Tiago Jessé Souza de Lima ◽  
Luciana Maria Maia ◽  
Ana Beatriz Gomes Fontenele ◽  
Samuel Lincoln Bezerra Lins

Abstract The aim of this study is to adapt the multidimensional in-group identification scale (MGIS) to the Brazilian context by gathering evidence of its psychometric properties. A total of 663 people from two samples participated in the study. In sample 1, we measured the identification of Brazilians with the region of the country where they live. In sample 2, we measured the identification of students with the university which they attend. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed on both samples to compare the models previously proposed by the original authors of the measure. The obtained results confirmed the validity of the hierarchical and multidimensional factor structure proposed by the original authors. The scale proposed here can be used to measure multiple dimensions of in-group identification in Brazil.


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