Sheri Zatz’s research while affiliated with Arizona State University and other places

Investigated the cognitions of 115 low, 126 moderate, and 125 high test-anxious 5th and 6th graders under naturalistic test-taking conditions. 57% of the Ss were female, 88% were White, and 61% were upper middle class. The Ss were classified according to scores on the Test Anxiety Scale for Children. As predicted, high test-anxious Ss showed more task-debilitating cognitions during testing, including more negative self-evaluations and off-task thoughts and fewer positive self-evaluations. High test-anxious Ss also showed relatively high frequencies of on-task thoughts and coping self-statements. The study also examined the role of classroom environment in the test anxiety-performance relation. Relative to their peers, the performance of high test-anxious Ss was debilitated only in classrooms that were high in perceived evaluative threat. Moreover, significant relations between cognitions and mathematic performance were obtained only in high-threat classrooms, and these relations were maintained when the effects of mathematic ability were statistically controlled. It is suggested that future test-anxiety research and clinical intervention might view test anxiety within a broader theoretical context of person-environment fit. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

This study investigated the cognitions of low, moderate, and high test-anxious children under naturalistic test-taking conditions. As predicted, high test-anxious children showed more task-debilitating cognitions during testing, including more negative self-evaluations and off-task thoughts and fewer positive self-evaluations. High test-anxious children also showed relatively high frequencies of on-task thoughts and coping self-statements. The study also examined the role of classroom environment in the test anxiety-performance relation. Relative to their peers, the performance of high test-anxious children was debilitated only in classrooms that were high in perceived evaluative threat. Moreover, significant relations between cognitions and math performance were obtained only in high-threat classrooms, and these relations were maintained when the effects of math ability were statistically controlled. Future test-anxiety research and clinical intervention might view test anxiety within a broader theoretical context of person-environment fit.

Compared the cognitions of 294 low, moderate, and high test-anxious (the Test Anxiety Scale for Children) 5th and 6th graders in an analog test situation. High test-anxious Ss reported significantly more task-debilitating cognitions than either moderate- or low-anxious Ss, including negative evaluations and off-task thoughts. High test-anxious Ss also reported fewer positive evaluations than low test-anxious Ss, whereas moderately anxious Ss did not differ significantly from either extreme group. It was unexpected that the moderate- and high-anxious groups reported significantly more on-task thoughts than the low-anxious group and did not significantly differ from each other. Both test anxiety and cognitions showed significant although modest relations with actual task performance after the effects of ability were partialled out. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Compared the cognitions of 294 low, moderate, and high test-anxious (the Test Anxiety Scale for Children) 5th and 6th graders in an analog test situation. High test-anxious Ss reported significantly more task-debilitating cognitions than either moderate- or low-anxious Ss, including negative evaluations and off-task thoughts. High test-anxious Ss also reported fewer positive evaluations than low test-anxious Ss, whereas moderately anxious Ss did not differ significantly from either extreme group. It was unexpected that the moderate- and high-anxious groups reported significantly more on-task thoughts than the low-anxious group and did not significantly differ from each other. Both test anxiety and cognitions showed significant although modest relations with actual task performance after the effects of ability were partialled out. (20 ref)