Self-efficacy, test anxiety and mathematics performance in Uruguayan adolescents exposed to community violence

Abstract

Introduction.  Community violence exposure (CVE) during adolescence relates negatively with academic performance, yet little is known about the mechanisms that underlie this association. Research on self-regulated learning identifies self-efficacy and test anxiety as key for explaining academic performance, while the stress process model of children's exposure to violence provides a framework for understanding how these aspects of the learning process may be debilitated by CVE. Method.  This study aims to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy and test anxiety in the relation between CVE and academic performance. In a sample of 110 adolescents from low-income neighborhoods in Montevideo, Uruguay, structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that adolescents with higher CVE have lower self-efficacy and higher test anxiety, which in turn compromises their mathematics achievement. We also hypothesize an indirect negative effect of CVE on self-efficacy through test anxiety. Results.  Our data confirm that CVE is associated with test anxiety and mathematics score, yet not self-efficacy. While both self-efficacy and test anxiety relate to mathematics score, our sample does not support an indirect effect of CVE on mathematics performance through these variables. Furthermore, analysis reveal a surprising positive – yet small – indirect effect of CVE on self-efficacy through test-anxiety. Discussion and Conclusion.  As self-efficacy – a malleable tool for promoting academic outcomes – appears not directly related to CVE in our sample, it holds important potential for enhancing academic achievement in youth exposed to community violence. Implications for psycho-educational interventions are set forth.