Ethnic differences in test anxiety.

Abstract

Abstract Test anxiety differences were explored among a sample of undergraduates representing Chinese, Anglo, South European, North European, and Eastern European ethnic backgrounds. Given the stress on academic excellence arising from the Confucian ethic permeating Asian cultures, it was hypothesized that Chinese students would be more prone to exhibit high levels of test anxiety than would their peers from other ethnic traditions. Analysis of respondents' scores on the Test Anxiety Scale indicated that, as predicted, students in the Chinese group scored significantly higher in test anxiety than did students from Anglo or European ethnic backgrounds.