Test anxiety of secondary school students in the context of childhood experiences and irrational beliefs: A latent profile analysis

Abstract

This study examines whether test anxiety differs according to latent classes defined in the shared space of childhood memories (worthlessness, submissiveness, and threatening) and irrational beliefs. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was applied to data collected from 431 eighth-grade students (224 [52%] female, 207 [48%] male) in Turkey. Five profiles were identified: Balanced Childhood Memories-Balanced Irrational Belief Profile (7.2%) (Profile 1), The Low Childhood Memories-Low Irrational Belief Profile (18.4%) (Profile 2), Low Childhood Memories-High Irrational Belief Profile (31.3%) (Profile 3), High Childhood Memories-High Irrational Belief Profile (20%) (Profile 4), and Above-Medium Childhood Memories-Average Irrational Belief Profile (23.2%) (Profile 5). The Balanced Childhood Memories-Balanced Irrational Belief profile exhibits a relatively balanced profile, lacking prominent negative childhood memories or rigid irrational beliefs. The Low Childhood Memories-Low Irrational Belief profile indicates that childhood memories are limited, and irrational beliefs remain low; both constructs are low together. The Low Childhood Memories-High Irrational Belief profile suggests that rigidity in belief levels and generalised evaluations may develop despite the absence of significant negative childhood memories. The High Childhood Memories-High Irrational Belief profile is associated with intensely negative childhood memories, a significant increase in irrational beliefs, and a strengthening of the rigidity and focus on negativity in evaluations. The Above-Medium Childhood Memories-Average Irrational Belief profile exhibits childhood memory components (especially threatening content), but irrational beliefs have not yet evolved to a level of systematic rigidity. Test anxiety is highest in Profile 4, significantly higher than in all other profiles; test anxiety is lowest in Profile 2, significantly lower than in all other profiles. No statistically significant differences were found between Profile 1 and Profiles 3 and 5. The findings suggest that childhood memories and irrational beliefs together differentiate test anxiety levels.