The Power of Perception: Unpacking the Role of Negative Thinking in High School Students’ Test Anxiety

Year 2024, Volume: 11 Issue: 3, 402 - 420, 31.08.2024

Ercan Akın , Türkan Doğan , Eyüp Sabır Erbiçer , Nilüfer Koçtürk , Duygu Betül Özkanca , Elif Özüm Kuş Işık , Cemile Dur Öztürk , Damla Kahraman , Mehmet Hakan Türkçapar

https://doi.org/10.30900/kafkasegt.1377702

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to determine the factors that contribute to the formation and maintenance of negative cognitions in adolescents. The present study employs a qualitative methodology to examine test-related negative cognitions of senior high school students with test anxiety. The consensus qualitative research (CQR) method was employed in the study design. Subsequently, fifteen randomly selected students were administered an inventory prepared using semi-structured interview questions, test anxiety, cognitive and behavioral therapy literature, and expert opinions. It was revealed that students' negative cognitions were clustered in four domains: self-oriented, other-oriented, future-oriented, and test-oriented. The self-orientated domain had three themes: self-criticism, lack of confidence, and high self-expectations. Other-oriented domain contained two themes: blaming others and concern about the social consequences of failing. The future-orientated domain had two themes: reading the future and intolerance to uncertainty. Lastly, the test-oriented domain had three themes: distraction during test, inefficient test-taking strategies, and negative study skills assessment. The study’s findings revealed that students have negative cognitions that have emerged as thoughts related to self, others, the future, and testing itself. These negative thoughts may affect students’ test anxiety levels, confidence, academic performance, and well-being. These findings were generally consistent with the literature and were discussed considering the relevant literature. It is suggested that mental health professionals and educators can use the cognitions addressed within the scope of the research to support students to improve their well-being, academic performance and resilience.

Keywords

test anxiety, negative cognitions, adolescent, dysfunctional thinking

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval was obtained from the Non-interventional Clinical Researches Ethics Board at Hacettepe University (13/01/2022; Application No: 16969557-64) and Ethics Board of Ministry of National Education in Türkiye (08/03/2022; Application No: E-59090411). All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. In addition, we declare that the rules stated in the "Higher Education Institutions Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive" are complied with and that we do not take any of the actions based on "Actions Against Scientific Research and Publication Ethics" in the present study.

Supporting Institution

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye

Project Number

TÜBİTAK ARDEB-221K182

Thanks

This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK ARDEB-221K182).

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