Test anxiety in nursing students: Emotional and sleep risk factors

Introduction and objectives: The scientific literature has shown several psychoemotional predictors of test anxiety. However, the combined effect that psychoemotional variables relating to trait anxiety and academic burnout, and satisfaction with several personal aspects (self-esteem, life and sleep) have not been studied. The objective of this study was to determine if a group of psychoemotional variables (trait anxiety, self-esteem, academic burnout, satisfaction with life), sleep variables (subjective sleep satisfaction) and sociodemographic parameters (age) have a significant predictive effect on test anxiety in Nursing students. Material and methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, survey-based study carried out on a group of 494 nursing students. The data are analysed using correlation tests, mean comparison tests and a regression model. Results: Regression analysis explains 39.3\% of the variance (p \textless .01) of test anxiety due to statistically significant risk factors: trait anxiety, academic burnout, subjective sleep satisfaction, and age. Women showed a higher average in test anxiety than men. Conclusions: the study reveals that high scores on trait anxiety, academic burnout, sleep dissatisfaction and being younger were predictors of test anxiety. Women experienced greater test anxiety than men. The need for psychological care teams in Nursing faculties to reduce the incidence of test anxiety in students is discussed.