Perfectionism, anxiety sensitivity, and statistics anxiety: A test of the vulnerability-stress model using a 2-wave longitudinal study

• Self-critical and rigid perfectionism longitudinally predict statistics anxiety. • Anxiety sensitivity longitudinally predicts statistics anxiety. • No support for a vulnerability-stress model via interaction effects was found. We predicted that low statistics grades, anxiety sensitivity, and trait perfectionism would be associated with increased statistics anxiety and worsened statistics attitudes. We also expected a grades by personality interaction, consistent with the vulnerability-stress model. Participants included 423 students currently taking a statistics class. We used a two-wave longitudinal design using self-reported online surveys at the beginning of term and after final grades were released. Grades were self-reported letter grades in statistics classes. Grades predicted increased statistics anxiety and worsened attitudes. Anxiety sensitivity predicted increased statistics anxiety. Self-critical perfectionism positively predicted statistics anxiety, but not attitudes. Rigid perfectionism was not significantly associated with either outcome. No interaction effects were statistically significant, failing to support the vulnerability-stress model.