Prevalence and characteristics of test anxiety in first year anatomy students

Bischofsberger L, Burger PH, Hammer A, Paulsen F, Scholz M, Hammer C (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Book Volume: 236

Article Number: 151719

DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151719

Abstract

Background: Test anxiety is a common phenomenon at universities with the potential to impair academic performance and student well-being. This study was conducted to investigate prevalence, characteristics, and development of the test anxiety categories “emotionality”, “worry”, “interference”, and “lack of confidence” among first year medical students. Methods: Overall, 625 freshman medical students were enrolled. They were recruited from the participants of a first semester anatomy course. The participants were assessed four times with a validated psychological test anxiety questionnaire (Prüfungsangstfragebogen, PAF). The first assessment was conducted at the commencement of the first semester. All further assessments were performed two days prior to each of three mandatory oral anatomy tests in the course of one half year. Prevalence rates as well as mean global and subscale scores of the test anxiety dimensions “emotionality”, “worry”, “interference” and “lack of confidence” were determined and compared between assessments. Results: Approximately 50% of the study participants showed pronounced test anxiety in at least one dimension over the observation period. Only about 10% were considered test anxiety-positive according to the global PAF scale. Worry showed the highest (up to 48%) and interference the lowest (≈5%) prevalence rates. Emotionality had a stable prevalence of approximately 17%, whereas lack of confidence showed a rising trend over the observation period from 15.2% up to 24.0%. Conclusion: Test anxiety is substantially more prevalent among medical students as commonly reported and deserves more detailed, dimension-specific exploration in future. Especially worry and lack of confidence give reason for concern, demanding further investigation.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Universitätsspital Zürich (USZ) Switzerland (CH) Klinikum Nürnberg Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Bischofsberger, L., Burger, P.H., Hammer, A., Paulsen, F., Scholz, M., & Hammer, C. (2021). Prevalence and characteristics of test anxiety in first year anatomy students. Annals of Anatomy-Anatomischer Anzeiger, 236. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151719

MLA:

Bischofsberger, Larissa, et al. "Prevalence and characteristics of test anxiety in first year anatomy students." Annals of Anatomy-Anatomischer Anzeiger 236 (2021).

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