Published online Sep 22, 2016. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v6.i3.351
Peer-review started: May 19, 2016
First decision: July 5, 2016
Revised: July 15, 2016
Accepted: July 29, 2016
Article in press: July 30, 2016
Published online: September 22, 2016
Processing time: 124 Days and 18 Hours
To examine the associations of test anxiety (TA) in written vs oral exam situations with social anxiety (SA).
A convenience sample of 204 students was recruited at the Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden, Germany) and contacted via e-mail asking to complete a cross-sectional online survey based on established questionnaires. The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the TU Dresden. Full data of n = 96 students were available for dependent t-tests and correlation analyses on the associations of SA and TA respectively with trigger events, cognitions, safety behaviors, physical symptoms and depersonalization. Analyses were run using SPSS.
Levels of TA were higher for fear in oral exams than for fear in written exams (M = 48.1, SD = 11.5 vs M = 43.7, SD = 10.1 P < 0.001). Oral TA and SA were positively correlated (Spearman’s r = 0.343, P < 0.001; Pearson’s r = 0.38, P < 0.001) contrasting written TA and SA (Spearman’s r = 0.17, P > 0.05; Pearson’s r = 0.223, P > 0.05). Compared to written TA, trigger events were more often reported for oral TA (18.2% vs 30.3%, P = 0.007); which was also accompanied more often by test-anxious cognitions (7.9% vs 8.5%, P = 0.001), safety behavior (8.9% vs 10.3%, P < 0.001) and physical symptoms (for all, P < 0.001).
Written, but not oral TA emerged being unrelated to SA and may rather not be considered as a typical facet of SA disorder.
Core tip: In a convenience student sample, levels of test anxiety (TA) were higher for fear in oral exams than for fear in written exams. Oral TA and social anxiety (SA) were positively correlated, contrasting written TA and SA. Compared to written TA, trigger events were more often reported for oral TA; which was also accompanied more often by test-anxious cognitions, safety behavior and physical symptoms. Results point to overlaps between oral TA and SA. Since written TA appeared unrelated to SA, it may rather not be considered as a typical facet of SA.