scholarly journals The Abbreviated Science Anxiety Scale: Psychometric properties, gender differences and associations with test anxiety, general anxiety and science achievement

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0245200
Author(s):  
Ahmed M. Megreya ◽  
Denes Szűcs ◽  
Ahmed A. Moustafa

Science anxiety refers to students’ negative emotions about learning science. Across two studies, we investigated the psychometric properties of the newly developed Abbreviated Science Anxiety Scale (ASAS), which was adapted from the modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (m-AMAS) (Carey E., 2017). Using a sample of students in grades 7 to 10 (N = 710), Study 1 reported a two-factor structure of the ASAS (learning science anxiety and science evaluation anxiety) and negative associations between the ASAS factors and science achievement. Study 2 replicated this two-factor model in students in grades 11 and 12 (N = 362) and found that students in the “Arts” track were more anxious about science than those in “Sciences” track. Both studies consistently reported positive inter-correlations between the ASAS factors, with good internal reliabilities and modest meaningful associations with test anxiety and general anxiety, suggesting that science anxiety might be a distinct construct. Further, female students had higher science anxiety (especially science evaluation anxiety) than male students, even when test anxiety and general anxiety were considered in models. In summary, the ASAS is a brief, valid, and reliable instrument that can be used to guide and improve science education.

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Z. Ramirez ◽  
Sachin Jain ◽  
Leila L. Flores-Torres ◽  
Roxanna Perez ◽  
Peter L. Kranz

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 725-735
Author(s):  
Qingqing Zhu ◽  
Patricia A. Lowe

The purpose of this study was to adapt the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale–Second Edition (RCMAS-2) into Mandarin and to examine its psychometric properties among Chinese adolescents. The participants included 436 Chinese students in Grades 7 to 12 who were administered the Chinese version of the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS-2-C). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed to examine the factor structure of the RCMAS-2-C. Results indicated a modified four-factor model (Worry and Social Anxiety factors combined, Physiological Anxiety, Defensiveness I, and Defensiveness II factors) provided an adequate model fit to the data. Categorical omegas were computed and ranged from .68 to .90 for the RCMAS-2 scale scores. Convergent evidence of validity for the RCMAS-2-C anxiety scores was also found. Implications of the findings of the study for clinicians and researchers are discussed.


1989 ◽  
Vol 69 (3-2) ◽  
pp. 1391-1394 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Beer

Over a 2-wk. period 15 high school students passively viewed a Necker cube for 5 trials (90 sec. per trial). The number of reversals per trial indicates there were practice effects. Measures of tolerance of ambiguity (Tolerance of Ambiguity), anxiety (General Anxiety Scale and Test Anxiety Scale), and rigidity (Breskin's Rigidity) were administered. Pearson correlations indicate that tolerance of ambiguity was not associated with viewing an ambiguous figure, the Necker cube. Analysis also suggests the more rigid the person's outlook, the fewer reversals were reported, and exposure to viewing the figure lowers anxiety.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 776-790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireia Orgilés ◽  
Miriam Rodríguez-Menchón ◽  
Iván Fernández-Martínez ◽  
Alexandra Morales ◽  
José Pedro Espada

Although Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is a widely used anxiety measure in many countries around the world, until now, research has barely focused on the usefulness of the parent version (SCAS-P) in young children. This study examines the psychometric properties and the factor structure of the SCAS-P in a Spanish community sample of 181 children aged 6–8 years ( M = 6.87, SD = 0.78). Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit of the original six-factor model to the Spanish sample. The internal consistency and the test–retest reliability of the scale were high. Regarding the validity of this measure, higher and significant correlations between the SCAS-P and internalizing problems and lower correlations with externalizing problems were obtained, as found in the original version. Girls seemed to show more anxiety problems than boys, but no significant differences were found. The results suggest that the SCAS-P is an adequate measure to assess anxious symptomatology in young children. The availability of measures with good psychometric properties allows psychologists to assess and carry out a correct and early diagnosis of anxiety disorders in children, making possible an early clinical intervention.


1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 512-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett Call ◽  
Joe Beer ◽  
John Beer

116 boys and girls in elementary Grades 4, 5, and 6 were administered the General Anxiety Scale, Test Anxiety Scale, and the Shyness Scale. Their GPAs were obtained from school records as were Normal Curve Equivalents from the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills given the previous school year. Children of divorced parents ( n = 31) had lower GPAs than children of nondivorced parents ( n = 85). The girls had higher GPAs and general anxiety scores than the boys. The students who scored lower on test anxiety had higher Normal Curve Equivalents. Pearson correlations were significant for scores on Test Anxiety with those on general anxiety ( r = .57), GPA ( r = − .25), and Normal Curve Equivalents ( r = – .26). Normal Curve Equivalents correlated significantly with GPA ( r = .66), but shyness did not correlate significantly with any other measure.


1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1128-1130 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Beer

27 gifted students in junior high and high school from north central Kansas school districts were administered the Children's Depression Inventory, the Beck Depression Scale, Test Anxiety Scale, General Anxiety Scale, and Breskin's Rigidity Scale. Sex, age, and grade were not considered, as the sample was small. The gifted students' mean scores for depression were below the cut-off score while their test anxiety, general anxiety, and rigidity scores were at moderate levels. Pearson correlations were significant for Beck Depression with the Children's Depression ( r = .82) and General Anxiety Scales ( r = .60). Scores on the General Anxiety Scale correlated significantly with those on the Children's Depression Inventory ( r = .69) and the Test Anxiety Scale ( r = .55). Rigidity scores were not correlated significantly with any other measure and scores on the depression scales did not correlate significantly with those on the Test Anxiety Scale.


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