Demographic Factors and Communal Mastery as Predictors of Academic Motivation and Test Anxiety

Abstract

Academic motivation and test anxiety have been still adduced for low performance of students by educators. To know the factors that have an effect on students’ academic motivation and test anxiety levels can be helpful to improve students’ academic performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of demographic variables and communal mastery as predictors of academic motivation and test anxiety levels based on the self-determination theory. Study group consisted of 336 Turkish high-school students. Academic Motivation Scale, Test Anxiety Inventory, Communal Mastery Scale and a questionnaire were used (n=64). Multiple correlation analyses and hierarchical multiple regression were used to predict variables’ effects on academic motivation and test anxiety. Results were discussed in terms of self-determination theory. Correlation analyses partly confirmed and partly disconfirmed study’s hypotheses. Communal mastery was positively associated, with perceived academic achievement while test anxiety and amotivation were negatively associated with perceived academic achievement. Gender, school type, parents’ education levels, having siblings, having a computer and communal mastery were partly negatively and partly positively associated with academic motivation and test anxiety. Perceived academic achievement was negatively associated with test anxiety and amotivation. Multi levels analyses results showed that demographic factors and communal mastery were significant predictors of high-school students’ academic motivation and test anxiety levels.