Achievement motivation level of primary school children: Anxiety and academic achievement

The study explores the effect of achievement motivation on anxiety and academic achievement of children. The Test Anxiety Scale for Children (Samson, Davidson, Lighthall and Waite, 1958), General Anxiety Scale for Children (Sarason ct al, 1958) and Achievement Motivation Scale (Robinson and Argule, 1961 cf. Cohen, 1976) were administered to 183 primary school children reading in classes III through V. Children were grouped into high and low achievement motivation groups on the basis of median split on achievement motivation score. These groups were matched on motivational levels. The findings showed that children with high n-ach performed better academically and possessed significantly low level of test anxiety. However, they failed to differ in general anxiety. A disordinal interaction was observed between education and achievement motivation level on test anxiety. It was further observed that academic achievement of class III children was negatively correlated with general anxiety and positively with test anxiety. In case of class IV and V children, academic achievement was negatively correlated with both general and test anxiety. The low achievement motivation children of class V showed significant and positive correlation between academic achievement and test anxiety.