A Study On The Relationship Among Academic Self-efficacy, Flow Experience In Examination And Test Anxiety Of Middle School Students

The main purposes of this study are to learn about the traits of academic self-efficacy, the flow experience in examination, and test the specific relationship among the three variables.Questionnaire survey was adopted in this research.500 students from 7 middle schools were sampled.406 valid data of questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS 17.0. The major findings were as following:(1) These students showed a higher level of academic self-efficacy. There was no gender difference, p>0.05.But grade difference existed significantly, F (2,403)=3.287,p=0.038, in which the students in Grade Seven scored higher than other grades. On this learning behavior self-efficacy dimension, grade-7- students scored significantly higher than students in grade 8. The region difference was found by single factor variance test,p=0.012<0.05, and the rural students have stronger tendency of academic self-efficacy.(2) Middle school students generally tend to have the flow experience in examination. There was no significant gender difference of the flow experience in examination among middle school students, p>0.05. However, grade difference existed, F(2,403)=3.287,p=0.038, and region difference existed too, F (1,404)=11.846,p=0.001.(3) Most of middle school students are still in a normal level. The result showed there were no significant sex differences and grade differences, but the students’ origin difference is at the edge of obviousness.(4)Three variables between the two were notable related. The flow experience in examination significantly correlated to academic self-efficacy(r=0.709) and test anxiety of middle school students(r=-0.323). Academic self-efficacy correlated to test anxiety (r=-0.310).(5) The flow experience in examination can negatively predicate test anxiety of middle school students (β<0), so as "the feature of clear goal" and "the feature of disappearance of the self-consciousness" (β >0). What’s more, Academic self-efficacy and its dimensions have a significant positive effect on the test anxiety of middle school students (β<0). Academic self-efficacy and the dimension of academic behavior self-efficacy can negatively predicate test anxiety (β<0).(6) The flow experience in examination played a partial intermediary role among academic self-efficacy and test anxiety of middle school students. Besides, the mediation effect accounted for 44.9% of the total effect.Conclusion:(1)There was no gender difference on academic self-efficacy, but the grades and region differences on academic self-efficacy were significant.(2)The gender difference of the flow experience in examination was not significant, but the differences of grades and region existed exactly.(3) The differences of gender and grades were not obvious, but the differences of region near to be obvious.(4) Three variables between the two were notable related.(5)The flow experience in examination played a partial intermediary role among academic self-efficacy and test anxiety of middle school students.