Causal Relationship Model of Emotional Self-Efficacy Components with Test Anxiety with the Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Affect in Male and Female Students

Test anxiety is one of the most interesting variables that affect all academic matters. The purpose of this research is to investigate the causal relationship model between the components of emotional self-efficacy and exam anxiety with the mediation of positive and negative affect among the students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and compare the model. There were two groups of boys and girls. The statistical population of all undergraduate students was studying in 2019-1400, and 300 students (190 girls and 110 boys) were selected as a sample from among them using a multi-stage random method. The tools used in this research were emotional self-efficacy (ESES) of Beverly et al. (2008), Test Anxiety questionnaire (FTA) of Friedman and Bandaz-Jacob (1997) and Positive-negative affect Scale of (PANAS) Watson et al. 1998). The evaluation of the proposed model was done using structural equation modeling. The results showed that emotional self-efficacy has a negative correlation with test anxiety and negative affect, but the correlation of emotional self-efficacy with negative affect was not significant. Also, the correlation of test anxiety with positive affect and dimensions of emotional self-efficacy (recognition, understanding, regulation and facilitation) was positive and significant. Indirect results showed that emotional self-efficacy is significant to test anxiety through positive and negative affect in the entire sample (boys and girls). But the indirect relationship of emotional self-efficacy with test anxiety through negative affect in male students was not significant. Also, the results of the analysis of the multi-group model showed that despite the fact that the path graphs of girls and boys are the same, there is a significant difference between the two groups in terms of path coefficients.