An investigation of the predictability of test anxiety in early maladaptive schemas

Early maladaptive schemas are mental patterns that became dysfunctional in progress of time and that are incompatible with individual's selfness which composed of the memory that individual has acquired through his / her experiences in the childhood and adolescence period and with physical sensations, emotions and cognitions. It is thought that early maladaptive schemas are related to many mental health problems such as depression, personality disorders, substance dependence and in particular anxiety disorders. As an anxiety problem which affects individual's performance before and during exam, which have mental, physical and emotive symptoms, exam anxiety is appearing as a psychological problem that has highest prevalence especially among the individuals in education life. In this study, the predictability between individual's early maladaptive schemas and exam anxiety was analysed. The research was organized in relational screening model and was conducted with 444 participants over 18 years old who are studying at Çukurova University and, within six month from filling up survey forms, who will sit for an nationwide and central exam, organized by Assessement Selection and Placement Center (OSYM). In this research; that are developed by reseracher with the scope of related literature '' Personal Information Form'', '' Young Schema Scale Short Form 3'' (YSS-SF3) and '' Westside Test Anxiety Scale '', were used by reseracher. The form is composed, in total, 113 clauses and 3 parts. In the data analyses result of the research, it is reached the conclusion that the participants' level of exam anxiety is significantly becoming dissimilar in sex, age, test type, education grade, and demographic variables. But there is no significiant differentiation within perceived parental attitudes, revenue and post-natal demographic variables. Following the correlation analysis, it is observed that there is a positively, meaningful relationship between all of early maladaptive schemas and test anxiety. When test anxiety and correlations of schemas are, analysed it is observed that there is a meaningful and intermediate relationship between test anxiety and maladaptive schema of failure, intertwinement/ dependency, weakness, to be abandoned, faultiness, social isolation/ distrust, seeking an approval, pessimism, and punishment. And it is observed that there is a meaningful and low-level relationship between test anxiety and emotional deprivation, giving himself up, suppression, to have a precedence, insufficient self-control and high standards. In addition, when linear regression analysis of data is performed, it is found that the schemas of failure, intertwinement / dependency, weakness in the face of threats, to be abandoned, faultiness, social isolation, distrust, seeking an approval, pessimism, punishement, high standards, to have a precedence, insufficient self-control, giving himself up have been meaningfully predicting the level of test anxiety. When the gradula linear regression analysis is performed, it is determined that respectively the schema of pessimism, failure and punishment have been mostly and meaninfully predicted.