The Mediator Role of Learning Strategies in the Relationship between Academic Self-Efficacy and Test Anxiety

The purpose of this study was to determine the mediator role of learning strategies in the relationship between academic self-efficacy and test anxiety. This research was done in a descriptive-correlational manner. The sample of study consisted of 350 public high school students from four high schools in Kerman selected by random multistage cluster sampling method. To gather the data, the academic self-efficacy Scale (Jinks- Morgan, 1999), learning strategies scale (Kember et al., 2004), and the test anxiety scale (Friedman-Jacob, 1997) were used. Path analysis results showed that Academic self-efficacy had both direct (=−.20), and indirect effects, mediated by Deep and Surface strategies (=−.08). Deep learning strategy was the strongest predictor, with a direct effect value of -0.32. The explanatory power of the predictors on test anxiety was medium (R2= 0.36). According to the results, the learning strategies (deep) and academic self-efficacy had a significant effect on students' test anxiety. Therefore, strengthening of this individual feature in students can lead to the better performance of students in the exam situation by decreasing test anxiety.