Archives of Assessment Psychology
Abstract
University students face test anxiety regardless of their country of origin. Therefore, it is necessary to use psychometric measures with identified factor structures. The Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale (CTAS) has been used in different countries to measure the cognitive aspect of test anxiety. Although the CTAS has been used widely, its factor structure is a topic of debate. In this study, we focused on concurrent data collection in two adjacent countries (Bulgaria and Greece), with two aims: a) to establish for the first time the factor structure for the Bulgarian and Greek versions of the CTAS, and b) to investigate any cross-cultural differences in two large samples of university student populations. Results from an exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 824) for the Greek adaptation of the CTAS support a two-factor model, consisting of cognitive test anxiety and test confidence, with all 27 items included. For the Bulgarian sample (n = 735), the EFA showed the same internal structure of two factors, but for 14 items, differing from the Greek version. In addition, no gender-based or cross-cultural differences in the CTAS total score were found for the two countries. Future research should consider that university students' test anxiety should be examined with caution, and particular emphasis should be given to cultural settings and educational systems.
Recommended Citation
Stoyanova, Stanislava and Giannouli, Vaitsa
(2023)
"The Bulgarian and Greek Versions of the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale in University Students: In Search of a Factor Structure,"
Archives of Assessment Psychology: Vol. 13, Article 2.
Available at:
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/psyassessment/vol13/iss1/2