Cognition in test-anxious children: the role of on-task and coping cognition reconsidered.
This study investigated cognition in children with high, moderate, and low test anxiety under naturalistic test-taking conditions. Children with high test anxiety not only reported more negative self-evaluations and more off-task thoughts but also more on-task and coping thoughts. Consistent with previous research, no "task-facilitating" role for these on-task and coping cognitions was found. This finding lends support to the notion of "the power of non-negative thinking". The only facilitating role was for positive self-evaluations. It was hypothesized that positive cognition could be task-facilitating under certain conditions. Limited support was found for this idea.
Prins
P J
PJ
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Groot
M J
MJ
Hanewald
G J
GJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment; D013732:Test Anxiety Scale