Relationships between test anxiety, self-regulation and strategies for coping with stress, in professional examination candidates

espanolEl objetivo de la investigacion fue establecer relaciones de asociacion, interdependencia y prediccion estructural entre las variables ansiedad evaluativa, authorregulacion y estrategias de afrontamiento del estres. El marco teorico de referencia fue el modelo de la competencia de Studying, Learning, and Performing under Stress (SLPS). Participaron 142 estudiantes, que se estaban preparando en academias de Almeria (Espana) para obtener plaza como maestros en centros publicos. Para la recogida de datos se administraron cuestionarios escritos previamente validados. El diseno fue ex post-facto lineal, con analisis de asociacion bivariada, inferenciales (ANOVAs y MANOVAs) y de prediccion estructural. Los resultados mostraron una relacion negativa entre la ansiedad evaluativa y la autorregulacion, especialmente en los estudiantes con alta emocionalidad, con un impacto negativo para la toma de decisiones. Tambien se encontraron relaciones positivas entre la ansiedad evaluativa y las estrategias de afrontamiento del estres. Por ultimo, se constato la relacion de prediccion positiva entre la autorregulacion y las estrategias de afrontamiento, a la vez que los analisis asociativos e inferenciales destacaron el papel de las metas como determinantes de las estrategias usadas para afrontar el estres, especialmente, las referidas a la focalizacion en la resolucion de problemas. Se discuten los resultados y se establecen implicaciones para las mejoras de estos procesos en los estudiantes opositores. EnglishThe research objective was to establish relationships of association, interdependence and structural prediction between the variables of test anxiety, self-regulation and stress coping strategies. The theoretical framework of reference was the Studying, Learning and Performing under Stress (SLPS) Competency Model. Participating were 142 students who were preparing for professional examinations to attain a post as public school teacher (primary education), enrolled at academies in Almeria (Spain) for this purpose. Previously validated questionnaires were administered for data collection. The study design was linear ex post-facto, with bivariate, inferential analyses of association (ANOVAs and MANOVAs) and of structural prediction. Results showed a negative relationship between test anxiety self-regulation, especially in students with high emotionality, and a negative impact on decision making. Positive relationships were found between test anxiety and strategies for coping with stress. Finally, a positive predictive relationship was verified between self-regulation and coping strategies, while associative and inferential analyses highlighted the role of goals as determining factors in strategies used for coping with stress, especially strategies that focus on problem solving. Results are discussed and implications for improving these processes in professional examination candidates are established.