Assessing the Multi-faceted Nature of Test Anxiety Among Secondary School Students: An English Version of the German Test Anxiety Questionnaire: PAF-E. Issue 4 (18th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hoferichter, Frances; Raufelder, Diana; Ringeisen, Tobias; Rohrmann, Sonja; Bukowski, William M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychology. Volume 150:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 450
• Page End: 468
• Publication Date: 2016-05-18
• Subjects: assessment -- English version of the German Test Anxiety Inventory: PAF-E -- secondary school students -- test anxiety; Psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Psychologie; 150
• DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2015.1087374
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3980

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The current study concerns the validation of an English version of the German Test Anxiety Inventory, namely the PAF-E. This questionnaire is a multi-faceted measure of test anxiety designed to detect normative test anxiety levels and in consequence meet the need of consultancy. Construct and criterion validity of (PAF-E) were examined with a sample of 96 secondary students ( M age = 12.8, SD = 0.67; 55% girls) from an international school in Berlin (Germany) and 399 secondary students ( M age = 13.4, SD = 0.80; 56% girls) from Montréal (Canada). Both samples completed the PAF-E and related constructs, such as school-related self-efficacy, inhibitory test anxiety, achievement motivation, and the Big Five. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the four-factor-structure (worry, emotionality, interfering thoughts, lack of confidence) of the original German Test Anxiety Inventory (PAF). Each subscale consists of five items with a total of 20 questions. Cronbach's alpha, ranging from.71 to.82 among Germans and.77 to.87 among Canadians as well as the re-test reliability (from.80 to.85 among Canadians) were sufficient. The differential patterns of correlations between other constructs and the indices of test anxiety indicate good construct validity.