French Study of Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale in Relation to Performance, Age, and Gender

Abstract

In the absence of a contemporaneous measure, the present study aimed to validate a French language translation of the Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale (MTAS). In addition, measurement invariance was tested for gender and age. The participants were 520 secondary school students aged 11–16 years. A four-factor model of the MTAS showed a good fit to the data, good internal consistency, and the expected relations with trait anxiety and fear of assessment (positive), and examination performance (negative). Scalar invariance was shown for gender and age. Female students reported higher test anxiety scores. Older students reported higher scores on just one MTAS factor (cognitive interference); remaining factors were stable with age. The translated measure will greatly assist researchers and practitioners in the assessment of test anxiety in French language populations.