Westside Test Anxiety Scale

 

Rate how true each of the following is of you, from extremely or always true, to not at all or never true.  
Use the following 5 point scale.  Circle your answers:

5                        4                       3                       2                         1

                           extremely                highly             moderately          slightly               not at all

                            always                  usually             sometimes           seldom                never 

                               true                      true                     true                  true                    true

 

__  1)  The closer I am to a major exam, the harder it is for me to concentrate on the material. 

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__  2)  When I study for my exams, I worry that I will not remember the material on the exam.  

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__  3)  During important exams, I think that I am doing awful or that I may fail. 

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__  4)  I lose focus on important exams, and I cannot remember material that I knew before the exam.   

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__  5)  I finally remember the answer to exam questions after the exam is already over. 

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

 __  6)  I worry so much before a major exam that I am too worn out to do my best on the exam.  

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__  7)  I feel out of sorts or not really myself when I take important exams.  

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__  8)  I find that my mind sometimes wanders when I am taking important exams.

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__ 9)  After an exam, I worry about whether I did well enough.     

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

__ 10)  I struggle with written assignments, or avoid doing them, because I feel that whatever I do will not be good enough.  I want it to be perfect.    

5                      4                        3                        2                        1

 

_____ Sum of the 10 questions 

< _____ >   Divide the sum by 10.  This is your Test Anxiety score.

 

Name ____________________     phone  _____________     email ____________________  

 

School ____________ 

 

© 2004 by Richard Driscoll, Ph.D.  
You have permission to copy this material.  (Please include author & copyright). 

 

********

What does your score mean?

 

< _____ >   Test Anxiety score (from 10 item scale).

Interpreting your test anxiety scores:  

1.0—1.9  Comfortably low test anxiety

2.0—2.5  Normal or average test anxiety

2.5—2.9  High normal test anxiety

3.0—3.4  Moderately high (some items rated 4=high)

3.5—3.9  High test anxiety (half or more of the items rated 4=high)

4.0—5.0   Extremely high anxiety (items rated 4=high and 5=extreme) 

Rationale.

The scale is constructed to measure anxiety impairments, with most items asking directly about performance impairment or about worrying, which interferes with concentration.  Simple indications of physiological stress are found to be relatively weak indicators of performance impairments. 

Incapacity (memory loss and poor cognitive processing) — 6 Items #1, 4, 5, 6, 8 & 10 

Worry (catastrophizing) —  4 Items #2, 3, 7, 9 

Physiological symptoms — no items.   

Recommendations.  

We have found that students who score at least 3.0 or more on our scale (moderately high anxiety) tend to benefit from anxiety reduction training, experiencing lower anxiety on tests and achieving higher grades.  

 

 

 

See:  www.amtaa.org for test anxiety information 

See:  www.amtaa.org/solutionsCDs.html for test anxiety reduction Trainings on CD.

See:  www.peacewithmyself.com/test.htm for "active control" anxiety reduction Training. 

© by Richard Driscoll & Westside Psychology.  You have permission to reprint this scale for personal use or to screen students in schools and colleges.  Please include copyright, author, and web address.  

www.amtaa.org/scaleWestside.html 

 

See:  www.amtaa.org/res/sv.html  for scale validation research