Investigating the Factorial Structure and Normalization of Persian form of the Children's Test Anxiety Scale

This study has been conducted with the intention of studying the factorial structure and normalization of Children’s Test Anxiety Scale in Iranian students of primary schools in Tehran. The sample of this study included 416 students (216 girls and 210 boys) of third to fifth grades students of Tehran primary schools that were selected through multiple stage clusters randomized sampling method. They completed Persian form of Children’s Test Anxiety Scale. The data were analyzed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and independent T test. The results showed that Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.85 for the whole scale. Based on the factor analysis of this scale using the principal components analysis (Varimax rotation) three factors were extracted: worrisome thoughts, off-task behaviors and autonomic reactions. Result of confirmatory factor analysis showed that three factor models seem to provide a satisfactory and parsimonious fit to the data in the present study. Considering the Appropriate factor structure of the Children’s Test Anxiety Scale, this scale can be used for the measurement of the degree of test anxiety in Iranian primary school students.