Effects of familiar proctor on fifth and sixth grade students' test anxiety

The effect of the proctor's familiarity on four groups of students in Grades 5 and 6 was investigated. The 137 children took a reading examination, half of which was administered by a familiar proctor, the other half by an unfamiliar one. Order of conditions was controlled. Analysis showed that students had significantly lower reading scores with the unfamiliar proctor. Students with midrange IQs had significantly lower reading scores than those in the low or high ranges. A significant relationship between test anxiety and effects of the unfamiliar proctor on test performance was shown. Test anxiety contributed significantly to the relationship between self-esteem and performance.