Factors Related to Impacts of Test Anxiety Levels on Student Performance Introduction
In recent years, with the passage of legislations such as the No Child Left Behind Act, standardized testing has become an integral part of student learning from elementary school to high school levels. Due to the increase in testing, it is vital for educators, especially classroom teachers who are responsible for preparing the students for these tests, to be aware of the impact of test anxiety of student performance (Supon, 2004).
Over the last several decades, researchers have highlighted the adverse impact of test anxiety on student performance, regardless of the students' grade levels or previous academic achievement (Anastasi, 1976; Sarason, Davidson, Lighthall, Waite, & Ruebush, 1960; McDonald, 2001). For instance, Hembree's (1988) meta-analysis of 562 studies addressing the relationship between test anxiety and student performance have indicated that test anxiety is a key factor in undermining student performance.
In the case of some students, particularly elementary school students, test anxiety can lead to the students' completing their tests rapidly simply to "escape the unpleasant physical experiences" (Cheek, Bradley, Reynolds, & Coy, 2002, p. 162). What is highly disturbing is that as testing becomes increasingly frequently and common in the lives of test-anxious students, their experiences of "flight or fight" responses can exert long-term effects, which will lead to a transformation of their attitude towards learning. These students may exhibit symptoms of depression, impulsivity, hyperactivity and fatigue that extend beyond the time-frame of the actual tests (Cheek et al., 2002).
The problem is that the effect of test anxiety on student performance on standardized texts and factors related to this test anxiety remains unclear. For more than a decade, educators have faced increased pressure from parents, lawmak...