Psychometric characteristics of the exam anxiety inventory in paraguayan students

Abstract

Introduction. Instrumental adaptation is essential to ensure that items are understandable, relevant, and culturally appropriate in the context in which they are applied. Objective. To linguistically and culturally adapt the Spanish version of the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) into a virtual format. Additionally, to examine their psychometric properties through reliability analysis, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.
Materials and Methods. A non-experimental survey design was used with a sample of 359 students aged 17 to 44 from the National University of Asunción, enrolled in the Psychology, Communication Sciences, Literature, and History programs. Of the participants, 66,4% were female; the mean age ± standard deviation was 22 ± 5,26 years. The linguistic comprehension test was conducted with 18 students from the UNA Medicine program, and a preliminary evaluation was performed by an expert committee consisting of two local professors in Spanish language and literature, who verified semantic, idiomatic, and conceptual equivalence to Paraguayan Spanish. Results. The TAI obtained a Cronbach’s alpha of 0,895 and showed a multidimensional structure with four factors. The Self-Esteem Scale obtained a Cronbach’s alpha of 0,884 and a two-factor structure. The sample showed a high level of test anxiety, while the self-esteem level was moderate. According to Pearson’s coefficient, the correlation between the two variables was extremely weak. Conclusion. Both instruments demonstrated sufficient empirical evidence; their use is recommended in Paraguayan university populations.