The Effects of Trait Anxiety and Test Difficulty on Undergraduates' State Anxiety

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of trait anxiety (stable anxiety resulting from personality characteristics which predisposes an individual to anxiety) and test difficulty on state anxiety (transitory anxiety that results from particular situations which are regarded as difficult or dangerous) of 32 undergraduates. The Test Anxiety Inventory assessed trait anxiety, a modified version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory assessed state anxiety, and a specially developed Educational Psychology Recall Test assessed task difficulty. Results indicated that trait anxiety and test difficulty level affected state anxiety. Trait anxiety and test difficulty level did not interact to affect state anxiety.