Gender Differences in Test Anxiety During Computer Adaptive Tests in Elementary School

Computer-adaptive tests (CATs) adapt item selection to the student’s ability, increasing test efficiency. Unlike fixed item tests (FITs), the solution rate of a CAT is independent of the student’s ability. This can interfere with students’ expectations about their test performance and increase test anxiety. Since girls tend to report higher levels of trait test anxiety, adaptive testing could have a differential effect on girls’ and boys’ perceived test anxiety. This study investigates differences in test anxiety between tests administered in FIT or CAT formats. In an experimental within- and between-subject design, the state anxiety of 253 fourth-grade students was measured before, during, and after a reading comprehension test administered either as a FIT or a CAT. Linear mixed-effect models showed that girls reported slightly more state test anxiety at the end of a CAT than boys. Implications for the application of CATs in elementary school classroom settings are discussed.