Effects of parental locus of control and mental health on test anxiety of middle school students

Abstract

Objective To find out parental locus of control and mental health affecting students test anxiety. Methods The samples were from 5 middle schools including 1000 students,and their parents. They were investigated with the general life scales, Sarason's test anxiety scale, Symptom checklist 90 (SCL-90)and Parenting Locus of Control Scale(PLOC). Results The ratio of test anxiety: the mild was 28.8%, moderate was 45.0%, severe was 26.2% ,and felt anxiety was 55.8%. Ratio of test anxiety was higher in the boy students (X2=9.284, P =0.010) ,and heavier(F:16.42±6.70; M:15.18 ±6.51, t=2.716, P=0.007). Student test anxiety was significantly positively correlated with their parental mental health (r fatherl～11=0.166～0.272, Pfather l～11= 0.000;r mother 1～11=0.182～0.242, P mother 1～11= 0.000); Student test anxiety positively correlated with the effectiveness cof parents education, father's belief on the fate, eontrol of fathers for their children, locus of control from fathers (r1～5=0.075～0.143; P1-5=0.000～0.030);felt anxiety positively correlated with self-expect ,pressure from their mothers,over take care attitude from their parents,self-pressure from their parents( r1～6=0.068～0.230; P1-6=0.000～0.050) ,and negatively correlated with respect attitude of parents for their child, Marital relations,Communication time between the students and their parents,attitude of mother for learning( r1-7=-0.074～-0.140;P1～7=0.000～0.034). Felting test anxiety was served as a dependent factor, some factors enter the regression equation,and they were somatization of father, psychotic mother, the pressure from parents, mother over expectations, self-expectations ,the child control from student's father by Logistic regression analysis ( OR1～16=0.675～3.029;P1-6=0.000～0.007). Conclusion Students test anxiety is a common problem in male and female students. Mental health and locus of control from students' parents show test anxiety has somatization of father, psychotic mother, the pressure from parents, mother' expectations,self-expectations, the control of father for the child 6 risk factors. Key words: Test anxiety; Psychological locus of control; Psychological health; Parents