a Berlin School of Economics and Law , Berlin , Germany.
b School of Education , Durham University , Durham , UK.
Anxiety Stress Coping. 2019 Jan;32(1):50-66. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2018.1528528. Epub 2018 Sep 27.
High self-efficacy may reduce emotional and physiological stress responses in the context of an examination. The present study investigated how these stress responses develop on an exam day, and sequential indirect effects between self-efficacy, threat appraisals, stress responses and performance.
The sample comprised 92 students (46 women). Self-efficacy, threat appraisals and state anxiety were assessed on a control day one week before an oral exam. Additionally, anxiety was assessed three times on the exam day. Salivary cortisol samples were collected at all time points.
Pre-exam anxiety and cortisol decreased until grades were announced. For both responses, greater levels were related to a steeper decline. However, changes in anxiety and cortisol were unrelated. Self-efficacy was negatively related to threat appraisals and anxiety on the control day. Greater threat appraisals were associated with higher pre-exam anxiety and a steeper anxiety decrease on the exam day, which in turn, was related to better performance.
High levels of self-efficacy may reduce threat appraisals and anxiety in the lead up to an exam, which are related to the intensity and decline of anxiety on the exam day. A steeper decline of anxiety may be beneficial to performance.
高自我效能感可能会降低考试情境下的情绪和生理应激反应。本研究旨在考察考试日应激反应的发展情况，以及自我效能感、威胁评估、应激反应和表现之间的顺序间接效应。
样本包括 92 名学生（46 名女性）。在口头考试前一周的控制日评估自我效能感、威胁评估和状态焦虑。此外，在考试日还评估了三次焦虑。在所有时间点采集唾液皮质醇样本。
考前焦虑和皮质醇水平在公布成绩前逐渐降低。对于这两种反应，水平越高，下降幅度越大。然而，焦虑和皮质醇的变化无关。控制日的自我效能感与威胁评估和焦虑呈负相关。更大的威胁评估与更高的考前焦虑和考试日焦虑的急剧下降有关，而后者与更好的表现相关。
高水平的自我效能感可能会降低考试前的威胁评估和焦虑，这与考试日焦虑的强度和下降有关。焦虑的急剧下降可能对表现有益。
