Prediction of Test Anxiety based on Personality Traits and Intelligence Beliefs with the Mediation of Academic Self-Efficacy

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim of predicting test anxiety based on personality traits and intelligence beliefs with the mediation of academic self-efficacy in male students. This research was a type of correlation research and structural equation model. The statistical population included all the students of the second secondary level of Bojnord city who were studying in the academic year of 2015-2016. A multi-stage cluster sampling method was chosen. Test anxiety questionnaires (Abolqasmi et al., 2015) were designed to measure the variables. From the Intelligence Beliefs Questionnaire by Abdul Fattah and Yates (2006), Test Anxiety Questionnaire (TAI); NEO personality traits questionnaire (NEO-FFI), Morgan and Jinks (1999) academic self-efficacy scale were used. The results showed that all the factor loadings of the indicators on the related variables are significant. Also, all direct path coefficients of exogenous variables, including personality traits, intelligence beliefs to academic self-efficacy, and academic self-efficacy to exam anxiety, were significant at the alpha level of 0.05. In addition, the model was able to explain more than 58% of academic self-efficacy and 30% of changes in test anxiety. Also, the indirect effects of personality traits, metacognitive awareness and intelligence beliefs on test anxiety through academic self-efficacy were significant. Therefore, it can be said that personality traits, intelligence beliefs are related to exam anxiety and can be predicted in this way.