Examination of the exam anxiety and cognitive flexibility levels of the students studying for university entrance exam

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the exam anxiety and cognitive flexibility levels of the students studying for the university entrance exam. The sample of the study consists of 650 students studying at private courses in the province of Malatya during the 2019-2020 academic year. Relational screening model was used in the research. In the study, Personal Data Form to collect data, and "AYDA Exam Anxiety Scale" developed by Basol (2017) to determine the exam anxiety, and also "Cognitive Flexibility Inventory" adapted to the Turkish language by Gülüm and Dağ (2012) to determine the cognitive flexibility levels were used. The exam anxiety scale consists of 15 items. The exam anxiety scale is composed of two sub-dimensions: family and environmental anxiety and cognitive and physiological anxiety. The cognitive flexibility inventory consists of 20 items. The cognitive flexibility inventory is composed of two sub-dimensions including alternatives and control. The Cronbach alpha value of the exam anxiety scale is .88. Cronbach alpha value of the cognitive flexibility inventory is .87. Statistical analysis of the data obtained in the study was done using SPSS 22.0 package program. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, independent samples "t test" , "one-way variance analysis (Anova)" were used in the analysis of the data. Significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. Pearson's Moments Multiplication Correlation Analysis was applied to reveal the relationship between the exam anxiety and cognitive flexibility levels of the students studying for the university entrance exam. According to the findings obtained as a result of the research, the students studying for the university entrance exam stated that they were undecided about the dimensions of exam anxiety, "family and environmental anxiety" and "cognitive and physiological anxiety". The exam anxiety of the students studying for the university entrance exam were found to be in favour of females in terms of gender. No significant difference was found between the level of exam anxiety of the students studying for the university entrance exam and the variables of education department, mother's educational status, father's educational status, number of siblings, income level, place of residence and year of studying for the exam. When viewed from the point of view of students 'ages, the exam anxiety was seen to be in favour of younger students. The students studying for the university entrance exam stated that they were undecided about the sub-dimension of "control" within the cognitive flexibility levels, while they reported that they were at suitable levels within the sub-dimension of "alternatives". No significant difference was found between the-general cognitive flexibility level of the students studying for the university entrance exam and the variables of education department, mother's educational status, father's educational status, number of siblings, income level, place of residence and year of studying for the exam. Low levels of negative relationships between the exam anxiety and cognitive flexibility levels of the students studying for the university entrance exam was discovered. Based on the results of the study, recommendations were made to reduce students' exam anxiety levels and increase their cognitive flexibility levels.