中學生考試壓力與個人特性：潛在類別分析 Examination Stress and Personal Characteristics Among Taiwanese Adolescents: A Latent Class Approach

本研究欲將個人特性納入既有的中學生考試壓力架構之中，並檢驗中學生之考試壓力與其個人特性之關係，驗證高考試壓力且中成就的學生，其個人特性上有特定的組型，包含較高的不確定性、神經性、低自尊、外控性，以及較低的外向性。本研究採分層隨機抽樣，共 召募了 1,858 名臺灣九年級學生完成問卷填答。在問卷上，本研究採用中學生考試壓力量表，以測量學生考試壓力的程度，同時以自編之 26 題二元計分的個人特性問卷，作為個人特性的測量；在學業成就方面，本研究以學生在 2014 年之國中教育會考分數作為指標；在資料分析方面，本研究以潛在類別分析，以學生考試壓力、學業成就及個人特性之作答資料，將學生進行分類。結果發現，以本研究所蒐集之資料而言，將學生分為四類最為適當，並將這四類學生分別命名為高壓中成就組（22%）、中壓高成就組（26%）、低壓中成就組（32%）及低壓低成就組（20%）。相較於中壓高成就組及低壓中成就組的學生，高壓中成就組的學生有較高 的不確定性、神經性、低自尊、外控性，以及較低的外向性，此結果與先前理論相符。同時，研究結果也發現，低壓低成就組的學生亦有較高的低自尊，以及程度中等的不確定性及外控性。研究結果顯示，中學生的考試壓力與其個人特性有關聯性，除了驗證先前理論可能影響壓力的神經性、外向性、自尊及外控性等個人特性之外，也說明學生的不確定性可能是影響考試壓力的其中一項個人特性。本研究將就中學生考試壓力與個人特性的關係進行討論，並提出教育實務上的建議。 In this present study, we explore whether examination stress among 9th graders in Taiwan is related to their personal characteristics, specifically whether students subject to high levels of examination stress have a certain pattern of characteristics. The sample consists of 1,858 9th graders in Taiwan. The Examination Stress Scale (ExamSS) was used as a measure of examination stress. Scores from the Comprehensive Assessment Program (CAP) 2014, the largest standardized achievement test for junior high school students in Taiwan, were used as an index of academic achievement. A questionnaire compiled by the researcher and comprising 26 dichotomous questions was used to measure personal characteristics, including uncertainty, neuroticism, extroversion, low self-esteem, and locus of control. A latent class analysis (LCA) was conducted to categorize students according to the data of ExamSS, CAP 2014, and personal characteristics. The LCA results show that the data best fit a four-classes model, classifying students into high-stress-medium-achievement (22%), medium-stress-high-achievement (26%), low-stress-medium-achievement (32%), and low-stress-low-achievement (20%). The profiles of these four classes show that, by comparison with the medium-stress-high-achievement group and the low-stress-medium-achievement group, the high-stress-medium-achievement group has higher rates of uncertainty and neuroticism, lower extroversion and self-esteem, and greater tendency to externalize the locus of control. In the other hand, the low-stress-low-achievement group is shown to have low self-esteem, and medium uncertainty and external locus of control. In this study, we have found that examination stress is correlated with personal characteristics, such as uncertainty, neuroticism, extroversion, low self-esteem, and external locus of control. According to the results of this present study, some suggestions were proposed, hoping that educational policy can be used to change social atmosphere and provide counselling in schools where it is needed so as to effectively reduce examination stress among adolescents.