On the Relationship between English Achievement Test Performance and Test Anxiety, Mediated by English Learning Anxiety and Motivation: A Structural Equation Modeling

The present study aimed at testing a causal model of structural relationships between test anxiety and English academic achievement with the mediation of learning anxiety and motivation. A correlation/regression analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed. A random selection procedure yielded an initial sample of 340 English language learners from various high schools in the province of Esfahan. The required data were obtained through Test Anxiety Scale (Sarason, 1984), English Class Anxiety Scale (Gardner, 2004), Motivation to Learn English Scale (Gardner, 2004), and National English Achievement Tests. Out of 340 questionnaires distributed, 303 participants (142 males and 161 females) finally provided data on all scales. Analyses were done through confirmatory factor analysis, and inferential and descriptive statistics. The results of SEM showed that the two stress-causing factors (i.e., test anxiety and learning anxiety) negatively influenced academic achievement through their direct influences on learning motivation. English learning anxiety and motivation mediated the effect of test anxiety on academic achievement; however, the direct effect of learning anxiety on achievement was not confirmed. The proposed structural model was confirmed against the data and 46% of the total variance was explained by its specified factors. Based on the results, a decrease in the extent and level of test anxiety and learning anxiety will increase the level of motivation which, in turn, will increase achievement performance.