Test Anxiety and Trait Anxiety in Adolescence: Same or Different Structures?

Abstract

Objectives: Test anxiety is positively correlated with trait anxiety. However, the precise relationship between the two is not clear. Are they two independent constructs that share a high degree of comorbidity, or the same construct manifesting in different situations (e.g., test anxiety as a special type of trait anxiety)?

Methods: The present study employed two advanced analysis tools (latent profile analysis and network analysis) to evaluate the connectivity pattern between test anxiety and trait anxiety in a sample of adolescent students (N = 475, Mean age = 13.49).

Results: The latent profile analysis revealed that all participants could be classified into three groups (low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk) based on their scores on two scales measuring test anxiety and trait anxiety, indicating a high degree of comorbidity between test and trait anxiety. The network analysis found that test anxiety and trait anxiety formed two relatively distinct communities, suggesting that they are two independent structures.

Conclusions: Together, this study provides a novel insight into the structural relationship between test anxiety and trait anxiety, indicating that while they are distinct constructs, they frequently coexist. The clinical implications for our understanding of the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of test and trait anxiety are discussed.