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Dissertation
Exploring Test Anxiety and Test Performance of Third-grade Students
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2012
Abstract
An ex post facto quantitative study with a qualitative aspect was used to determine relationships among Theory of Test Anxiety constructs and their influences on test performance of third-grade students (Sarason, Davidson, Lighthall, Waite, & Ruebush, 1960). The study was conducted in three elementary schools located in a school district in Northwest Florida. The following four instruments were used in the study: (a) Children's Test Anxiety Scale (CTAS; Wren, 2000), (b) Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT; Florida Department of Education, 2011b), (c) Parent Reflection Form, and (d) Teacher's Reflection Form. Related literature connected Wren's (2000) subscales (thoughts, overwhelming tendencies, and autonomic reactions) with Sarason et al. (1960) constructs (anxiety, anxious reaction, need achievement, and achievement motivation). The results indicated: (1) test anxiety scores were found to inversely influence test performance scores in third-grade reading (literature-construct meaning, reading application, information-text, literary analysis, information-construct meaning, and total reading); test anxiety scores were found not to influence vocabulary test performance scores for third-grade reading, (2) the subscale, thoughts scores, were found to inversely influence test performance scores in third-grade reading (literature-construct meaning, reading application, information text, literary analysis, vocabulary, information-construct meaning, and total reading), (3) the subscale, behavioral tendencies scores, were found not to influence test performance scores in third-grade reading (literature-construct meaning, reading application, information text, literary analysis, vocabulary, information-construct meaning, and total reading), and (4) the subscale, autonomic reactions scores, were found to inversely influence test performance scores in third-grade reading (literature-construct meaning, information text, literary analysis, information-construct meaning, and total reading); the subscale, autonomic reactions scores, were found not to inversely influence test performance scores in third-grade reading (reading application and vocabulary). The qualitative aspect of the study results indicated that parents and teachers had similar reflective experiences and attitudes regarding test anxiety and test performance. Implications and findings for future research include extending Sarason et al. (1960) theory to grade 3, adding to the literature on test anxiety, and providing qualitative information concerning teachers' and parents' reflections regarding their own test anxiety levels.
Details
- Title
- Exploring Test Anxiety and Test Performance of Third-grade Students
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 204
- Copyright
- © 2012 Susan Diane Flagg
- Identifiers
- 99380090859106600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida