The Relation between Test Anxiety and Mental Health in Adolescents

청소년의 시험불안과 정신건강과의 관계

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between test anxiety and mental health in adolescents. Method: The subjects were 450 students of two academic high schools in J City, who were selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected through a survey using a structured questionnaire from September 1st to 15th 2005. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 10.0 for Windows through descriptive analysis, Pearson's Correlation Coefficient, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test and stepwise multiple regression. Result: The mean score of test anxiety was 2.40 (range:1.13-3.81) and that of mental health was 2.77 (range:0.64-5.03). A significant negative correlation was observed between test anxiety and mental health (r=-0.28, p=.000). Test anxiety was significantly different according to adolescents' general characters such as gender (t=-1.98, p=.048), grade (F=3.54, p=.030), school life satisfaction (F=10.73, p=.000) and relationship with the teacher (F=11.60, p=.000). Mental health was significantly different according to adolescents' general characters such as religion (t=2.14, p=.032) and school life satisfaction (F=4.13, p=.017). The most powerful predictor of mental health was test anxiety and it, combined with religion, accounted for 9.0% of variance in mental health in adolescents. Conclusion: Test anxiety and mental health was found to be in a significant negative correlation with each other in adolescents. Therefore, nursing intervention programs for adolescents needs to reduce their test anxiety to improve their mental health.