Differential stability of individual differences in state and trait test anxiety

Abstract

The differential stability of state and trait test anxiety was investigated in two content areas (Psychology, n = 154; Method, n = 133). The structural model supported the hypothesis regarding differential stability of individual differences for state and trait test anxiety over a three-month interval, with trait test anxiety being more stable than state test anxiety. Contrary to the invariant stability of trait test anxiety across content, the stability of state test anxiety was significantly low in Psychology as compared to that in Method, indicating that more individuals in the Psychology group reported fluctuant state test anxiety over time. Although the stability of individual differences in state test anxiety was low, the factor structures of state test anxiety at two occasions were invariant, supporting the contention that even when the factorial structures are stable over time and the test-retest stability is high, individual state test anxiety may be unstable across time.