Structural Modeling on the Relationship between Basic Psychological Needs, Academic Engagement, and Test Anxiety

Farnaz Mehdipour Maralani,Masoud Gholamali Lavasani,Elahe Hejazi

doi:10.5539/jel.v5n4p44

Abstract

<p>Some of the key issues in educational psychology are the way of students’ engagement at school, controlling anxiety, and academic achievement. In line with that, the purpose of the present study is to determine the relationship between variables that are basic psychological needs, academic engagement, and test anxiety with regard to structural equation modeling. Therefore, the cluster sampling of 289 female students of Hamedan province was carried out in some phases. Also, the participants were supposed to fill some questionnaires on aspects of academic engagement (Reeve &amp; Tseng, 2011), basic psychological needs (La Guardia, 2000), and Ahwaz inventory test anxiety (2002). The results of structural equation modeling show that exogenous variable of basic psychological needs effects directly positive and significantly on academic engagement; also, effects directly negative and meaningfully on test anxiety. However, the indirect effect on test anxiety because of academic engagement is not significant. The justification is that the relationship between academic engagement and test anxiety is not meaningful. According to findings, basic psychological needs can be highlighted as the most important factor so as to increase academic engagement of students, and decrease their test anxiety.</p>

Highlights

One of the main plans in order to optimizing education is that students’ academic achievement have to be considered
By referring to academic achievement, it is possible to explain that how students may feel and react on school’s atmosphere and tasks (Fredericks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004)
Based on what proposed the purpose of the present study is applying structural equation modeling in test, so that this conceptual model can measure the relationship between variables of basic psychological needs, test anxiety, and academic engagement

Summary

Introduction

One of the main plans in order to optimizing education is that students’ academic achievement have to be considered. Identifying these factors are highly significant (Pourki, 1970; as cited in Koutsoulis & Campbell, 2001). Newman et al ((1992) as cited in Appelton et al, 2006), and Marks (2000) posit three sub-classifications for the term engagement which includes behavioral, cognition, and emotional aspects. Veiga (2016) conducts some studies on the concepts of engagement at school along with the other four features (cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and agency), that the last among four ones refers to actively interested in, and having self-confidence on learning and acquiring knowledge “cognition” and “psychological” indices include self-regulation, learning value, personal goals, and automatism; and having sense of belonging and relationship with teachers and of the same age friends, respectively. Reeve and Tseng (2011) beside cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects add the other feature which called as agency. Veiga (2016) conducts some studies on the concepts of engagement at school along with the other four features (cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and agency), that the last among four ones refers to actively interested in, and having self-confidence on learning and acquiring knowledge

Objectives

Methods

Results