Coping with Cognitive Test Anxiety: Differences for Diverse Learners

1
Coping with Cognitive Test Anxiety Differences
for Diverse Learners

• Jerrell Cassady, Kathryn Fletcher, Athena
  Dacanay
• Ball State University, USA
• Paper Presented at the 31st World Conference on
  Stress and Anxiety Research. Galway, Ireland
  August 4-6, 2010

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Classic Test Anxiety Typologies

• State vs. Trait Anxiety Orientations
• Transactional Process Model (Spielberger Vagg)
• Additive Model (Zohar)
• Generalized trait-like responses to evaluations
  in general as well as specific task component
  influence these orientations and interpretations.
  
• Emotionality vs. Worry Orientations
• e.g., Liebert Morris Sarason Flett
  Blankstein
• Worry conceived more broadly by some to be
  cognitive test anxiety which can include
  self-deprecating ruminations, task-irrelevant
  thoughts, worry, cognitive interference,
  cognitive load
• Emotionality generally involves aspects such as
  tension and bodily symptoms encountered when
  faced with the evaluation.

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Cognitive Interference Model

• Information is available, but the anxiety leads
  to interference with retrieval efforts.
• Cue overload due to inappropriate restriction of
  range for the memorial attempt
• Inappropriate attention focus during search or
  spreading activation
• Strategically-flawed LTM search strategies
• Cognitive Load Theory

4
Information Processing Model

• Learner experiences failure in processing
  information (largely defined).
• Encoding, rehearsal, storage, cognitive
  organization, retrieval failures all potential
  sources for performance failure.
• Provides greater allowance for all phases in the
  learning-testing cycle (Test Preparation, Test
  Performance, Test Reflection)

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Learning - Testing Cycle

• Test Preparation Phase
• Study skills strategies
• Study time and efficiency (repetition)
• Procrastination -- impedes primarly at finals
• Cognitive processing/encoding
• Surface-level processing
• Low self-regulation (monitor effort and progress)
  
• Perceived threat of tests
• Misappraisal of need to study/prepare

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Learning - Testing Cycle

• Test Performance Phase
• Anxiety blockage phenomenon (high anxiety, good
  study skills, easy items)
• Interference during test session
• Distraction from test
• Decision-making impaired under stressful
  situations when confidence levels fall for
  knowledge
• Initial response to items on test -- panic and
  fear response

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Learning - Testing Cycle

• Test Reflection Phase
• Interpretation of failure/success (attributions)
• Self-efficacy judgments
• Goal establishment for future tests
  (approach/avoidance)
• Development of fear for tests -- (ie, tests are
  seen as threatening events -- sparking avoidance,
  perseveration)
• Helplessness orientations
• Influence coping strategies in future test
  situations

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Zeidners Typology for Evaluation Anxiety

• This orientation pays greater attention to the
  underlying causes of the test anxiety.
• Study/Test Deficiency
• Anxiety Blockage and Retrieval Failure
• Failure Acceptance
• Failure Avoidance
• Self-handicapping
• Perfectionism

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Method

• 474 university students in volunteer study
  participation pools
• 73 Female 93 Caucasian (consistent with the
  population pool)
• Class status demonstrated primarily upper class
  undergraduates participated

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Data Collected

• Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale
• Perceived Test Threat
• Reactions to Tests Bodily Symptoms
• Emotional Intelligence Scale
• Study Skills and Habits
• Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale
• COPE

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Guiding Questions

• Is there evidence of differential patterns of
  test anxiety in the sample?
• Do differential patterns align with established
  conceptualizations for test anxiety?
• Do differential patterns of coping and related
  variables arise?
• Do coping indicators identify types noted by
  Zeidner?

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University Status Comparison
CTA F (4,462) 6.55, p lt .001 PTT
F(4,449)3.7, plt.005
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Additional Analyses

• No meaningful differences on other variables
  based on university status
• Females reported using social supportive and
  positive reinterpretation coping strategies more.
  
• No significant differences based on reported
  race.
• Disparity in sample sizes significant limitation
  in these analyses

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Learning-Testing Specific CTA

• Forced analysis of CTA items based on where in
  the Learning-Testing cycle they referenced were
  conducted.
• No meaningful findings demonstrating differential
  forms of coping for students with varied degrees
  of CTA at Test Preparation, Test Performance, or
  Test Reflection Phases
• Minimal variations among three phases on current
  CTA measure detected.

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Students with High Levels of Cognitive Test
Anxiety

• Higher reported use of following coping
  strategies than those with moderate to low levels
  CTA F (2,458) reported
• Mental disengagement 14.5
• Denial 26.63
• Behavioral disengagement 34.9
• Focus on emotions and venting 14.3
• Substance use 10.4

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Students with High Levels of Cognitive Test
Anxiety

• Higher reported rates on Fs (2, 248)
• Concern over mistakes (MPS, 33.7)
• Doubts over action (MPS, 52.99)
• Parental Control (MPS, 22.6)
• Bodily symptoms (RTT, 102.1)
• Lower reported skills in effective study
  strategies and cognitive elaboration, F(2, 458)
  13.7.

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Similar Analyses for Perceived Test Threat
(worry)

• Same pattern of findings demonstrated for the
  students with high levels of perceived test
  threat with exceptions
• All effect sizes were smaller than for the CTA
  effects
• No substance use coping differences based on
  worry
• Low levels of worry associated with higher use of
  planning coping strategies

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Additional Analysis

• In an exploratory analysis of the differential
  relationships among CTA, PTT, and the outcome
  variables, we examined the study variables based
  on groups established based on levels of CTA and
  PTT
• (High CTA, High PTT, High CTA PTT)

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Findings

• Students with high PTT but not CTA had higher
  levels of emotional intelligence (in touch with
  own emotions about testing situation)
• Bodily Symptoms related primarily to CTA, not PTT
  (measures Test Performance Phase exclusively)

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Findings

• Study skills deficits reported equitably for
  students with high CTA and PTT.
• Perfectionism tendencies noted for students with
  high levels of CTA (not present for students with
  high PTT)
• Concern over mistakes
• Doubts about actions
• Parental control

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Findings

• Coping strategies observed to be prevalent for
  students with simultaneously high levels of CTA
  and PTT were mental disengagement and focus on
  emotion/venting.
• Students with just high CTA (not PTT) displayed
  denial, substance use, and behavioral
  disengagement coping

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Summary

• Broader measure CTA more directly connected to
  reported maladaptive perfectionism and
  avoidance-focused coping variables.
• Students with BOTH high perceived test threat and
  CTA demonstrates more emotion-focused coping
  strategies (not positive strategies), consistent
  with tendency for PTT to be related to emotional
  intelligence.

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Typology for Cognitive Test Anxiety

• No simple solution to typology for cognitive test
  anxiety
• Addition of achievement motivation and
  self-regulation indicators supportive in
  identifying primary impairments in student
  performance for students with CTA
• Intervention attempts have been best guided by
  item-level analyses for critical items

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Ongoing

• Cluster analysis to simultaneously examine
  perfectionism and test anxiety indicators
• Path analyses examining potential for emotional
  intelligence, study skills (including
  self-regulation), and coping strategies to
  moderate documented effects of test anxiety on
  performance

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• Jerrell Cassady
• Professor, Dept. of Educational Psychology
• Director, Academic Anxiety Research Consortium
• Ball State University
• jccassady_at_bsu.edu