The relationship between test anxiety and family adaptability, cohesion of high school students

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: As Koreans have had great enthusiasm for education traditionally, most students have excessive anxiety about tests and such anxiety may cause several physical and psychological problems. But there are few studies on the relationship between test anxiety and family function. Therefore, in this study, we tried to figure out the relationship between test anxiety and family function in order to treat and educate patients who have excessive test anxiety. METHODS: In a survey study, the Korean Version of Test Anxiety Inventory and Olson's FACES III was administered to the 220 second year high school students of a single high school who live in Pusan. Two groups of students with high and low test anxiety levels (52 in each group) were selected based on the test anxiety scale ratings and analysis of their family adaptability and cohesion. RESULTS: In FACES III adaptability of high test anxiety group, there were 15 cases (28.8%) for rigid, 23 cases (44.2%) for structured, 11 cases (21.2%) for flexible and 3 cases (5.8%) for chaotic familes. In that of low test anxiety group, 2 cases (3.8%) for rigid, 16 cases (30.8%) for structured, 24 cases (46.2%) for flexible and 10 cases (19.2%) for chaotic familes. In FACES III cohesion of high test anxiety group, there were 2 cases (3.8%) for disengaged, 14 cases (26.9%) for separated, 20 cases (38.5%) for connected and 16 cases (30.8%) for enmeshed familes. In that of low test anxiety group 18 cases (34.6%) for disengaged, 22 cases (42.3%) for separated, 8 cases (15.4%) for connected and 4 cases (7.7%) for enmeshed familes. In FACES III family type of high test anxiety group, there were 24 cases (46.2%) for balanced, 20 cases (38.4%) for mid range and 8 cases (15.4%) for extreme familes. In that of low test anxiety group 24 cases (46.2%) for balanced, and 22 cases (42.3%) for mid range and 6 cases (11.5%) for extreme familes. CONCLUSION: Cohesion scale of high test anxiety group was higher than that of low test anxiety group and adaptability scale of low test anxiety group was higher than that of high test anxiety group.