Types of motivation in relation to test anxiety in primary education students

Abstract

Test anxiety is a growing problem in the academic context, although its study in the Primary Education stage is still scarce. This paper aims to deepen the factors underlying this phenomenon, analyzing the role of intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation in the development of test anxiety. The effect of gender in this relationship is also analyzed. The study involved 274 students in fifth and sixth grades of Primary Education, selected by convenience sampling. Validated questionnaires were used to measure test anxiety and type of motivation. The predictive value of motivation on test anxiety was determined by a multiple linear regression analysis. Gender differences were estimated by Student’s T test for independent samples. The results showed that intrinsic motivation is a significant negative predictor of test anxiety, with extrinsic motivation being a statistically significant positive predictor. Women showed significantly higher levels of intrinsic motivation than men. No significant gender differences were found in either extrinsic motivation or test anxiety. These findings seem to indicate that intrinsic motivation is a protective factor against test anxiety in Primary Education, and extrinsic motivation is a risk factor. Some guidelines for teachers are suggested in order to prevent or reduce the tendency of students to experience test anxiety.