Original scientific paper

The Role of Metacognitive Beliefs, Automatic Thoughts During Learning and Attribution of Success in Students' Test Anxiety and Academic Achievement

Ivanka Živčić-Bećirević orcid.org/0000-0002-8295-0223 ; Odsjek za psihologiju, Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci
Jasminka Juretić ; Odsjek za psihologiju, Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci
Mirjana Miljević ; Opća bolnica "Dr. Ivo Pedišić" Sisak

Abstract

Metacognition can be defined by knowledge, processes and strategies individuals use to follow, assess and control their own thoughts. The research is primarily focused on the role of metacognitive beliefs in development and maintenance of emotional disorders, and also on coping with specific situations, such as exams.
One of the aims of the research was to check the factor structure of the Metacognitions Questionnaire in the sample of Croatian college students. As some research confirms the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and test anxiety, we wanted to check their contribution, beyond the contribution of automatic thoughts during learning and taking exams, to student academic achievement.
The sample consisted of 440 college students (301 girls and 139 boys). The measures included Metacognitions Questionnaire, Spielberger Test Anxiety Inventory and Automatic Thoughts during Learning and Taking Exam Questionnaire with 4 subscales (fear of failure, fear of disappointing parents, lack of motivation and interest, positive thoughts). Students also assessed their attributions of academic success and failure on a 4-point scale (abilities, effort, luck and circumstances).
Three out of five original factors of Metacognitions Questionnaire were confirmed (beliefs about cognitive competence, beliefs about uncontrollability and danger and cognitive self-consciousness). Two other factors describe an attitude toward worry and positive beliefs about the usefulness of worry.
The results of the hierarchical regression analysis showed that the assessed cognitive variables can better explain students’ test anxiety than their academic achievement. The specific predictors of test anxiety are beliefs about the usefulness functionality of worry and beliefs of its uncontrollability and danger, as well as all types of automatic thoughts, with lack of motivation and interest as a negative predictor. Only external attribution (circumstances) is a significant predictor of test anxiety.

Keywords

metacognitive beliefs; automatic thoughts; test anxiety; academic achievement; attributions of success

Hrčak ID:

39920

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/39920

Publication date:

30.6.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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