The Prediction of Test Anxiety Based on Family Communication Pattern Dimensions: The Mediating Role of Academic Resilience Among First Year High School Students

Abstract

Background: Anxiety as a global phenomenon and an inseparable part of human life has attracted the attention of many researchers in the field of psychology. Regarding the effect of family institution on the attitude and performance of children, Fitz Patrick and Richie believe that family is a source where expectations, beliefs and norms of familial life are established, and form the viewpoint and interaction of person with existence. Objectives: The aim of present study is to investigate the mediating role of academic resilience in the relationship between dimensions of family communication pattern and test anxiety in first-grade high school male students. Materials and Methods: The study comprised 291 male high school students, selected by random multi-stage cluster sampling method in Shiraz, Iran. The family communication patterns questionnaire, academic resilience inventory (ARI) and test anxiety questionnaire were used for collection of data. The Cronbach’s coefficient was used to ascertain the reliability of research. The results showed an acceptable reliability of the instrument. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software, and simultaneous multiple regressions for predicting variables. Results: Results showed that 1- Family conversation orientation was negative and significant predictor of test anxiety, 2- Family conversation orientation was positive and significant predictor of academic resilience, 3- Family conformity orientation was positive and significant predictor of test anxiety, 4- Academic resilience played a complete mediating role in the relationship between family conversation orientation and test anxiety. Conclusions: According to these results, increasing of conversation orientation and resilience and decreasing of conformity orientation leads to reduction of test anxiety in first-grade high school male students.

Keywords

• resilience
• test anxiety scale
• family
• communication
• conformity