The Effect of Test Anxiety on Reading Comprehension in Second Grade Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a correlation between test anxiety and reading comprehension on a standardized test in two heterogeneously grouped second grade classes. Also considered were the relationships of test anxiety and reading comprehension on educationally handicapped subjects and subjects with no handicapping condition and the differential effects of test anxiety on male and female subjects. Fifty-five second grade students from a small city school district in Western New York served as subjects for the study. Fifteen of the 55 subjects were classified as educationally handicapped. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (I.T.B.S.) was administered to all the students. On the morning that the I.T.B.S. reading test was to be given, each student also completed the Test Anxiety Scale for Children (TASC). All questions of the TASC were read to the students so reading ability was not a factor. The Pearson Product Moment Method was used to determine if there was a relationship between test anxiety scores and reading comprehension. To determine if there was a significant difference between the reading comprehension scores for female subjects and for male subjects, a t test was used. The results of this study indicated there was no significant relationship between reading comprehension and test anxiety. There was also no significant difference between test anxiety for male subjects and test anxiety for female subjects. The data did reveal a significant difference between reading comprehension of subjects with a handicapping condition and subjects with no handicapping condition. The results of this study contradict previous research which has been conducted in the area of test anxiety. Further research is needed.