Interaction of Test Anxiety and Locus of Control on Academic Performance

Previous studies of the relationship of test anxiety, locus of control, and academic performance yielded contradictory results. In seeking a remedy for the negative effects of test anxiety, it will be useful to know to what extent the highly test-anxious students assume responsibility for their performance (internal view) and to what extent they believe it to be due to luck, chance, or “the system” (external view). University students enrolled in an upper division psychology course completed the Test Attitude Inventory of Spielberger, et al. and a locus of control measure only of personal control items from Gurin, et al. and of academic control items from Rotter. The students' performance on the course examinations was affected by the interaction of test anxiety and personal locus of control; highly test-anxious students achieved higher mean examination scores if they were also internal, while students low in test anxiety had higher scores if they scored external on locus of control. Studies of the interaction of test anxiety and locus of control on academic performance are needed.