Parental perfectionism and children's test anxiety

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Student test anxiety is a prevalent issue impacting academic performance.
• Parental influence, particularly perfectionism, is increasingly recognized as a factor in student well-being.
• Understanding the family context is crucial for addressing educational psychological challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between parental perfectionism and student test anxiety.
• To identify specific parental factors contributing to examination anxiety.
• To explore gender differences in test anxiety within a secondary school population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study design was employed.
• Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from students and their parents.
• A sample of 90 secondary school students and their parents (mothers and fathers) from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds participated.

Main Results:

• Maternal perfectionistic attitudes showed a significant positive association with students' test anxiety.
• Girls reported significantly higher scores on test anxiety compared to boys.
• No significant association was found between paternal perfectionism and student test anxiety.

Conclusions:

• Maternal perfectionism is a key predictor of test anxiety in secondary school students.
• Gender differences in test anxiety warrant further investigation within the family system.
• Future research should explore intervention strategies targeting parental influences on student academic stress.