Classroom Anxiety Scale

Abstract

The Classroom Anxiety Measure (CAM) is a specialized psychological instrument designed to quantify the level of anxiety experienced by students specifically within the classroom environment. This scale is rooted in the theoretical framework of the Situational Communication Apprehension Measure (SCAM), which was initially developed by McCroskey and Richmond (1982, 1985) to assess state communication apprehension across various contexts. The CAM serves as an indicator of how various situational factors within an educational setting contribute to a student’s sense of unease or fear. Initial psychometric analyses suggest strong internal consistency, with an expected alpha reliability of approximately 0.90.

Keywords

Classroom Anxiety, Communication Apprehension, Student Stress, Affective Learning, Educational Psychology, State Anxiety, Psychometrics, Situational Fear.

Authors

Virginia P. Richmond, James S. Wrench, Jason Gorham (Associated Psychometrics), V. P. Richmond (Primary Author of Tool)

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Classroom Anxiety Measure (CAM) is to provide researchers and educators with a reliable tool for assessing the degree of anxiety a student experiences while attending class. Identifying high levels of classroom anxiety is critical, as this affective state can significantly impede learning, participation, and academic performance.

The instrument operationalizes anxiety as a state response to the classroom situation, allowing for targeted interventions aimed at reducing barriers to effective communication and learning. Scores derived from the scale help categorize students into low, moderate, and high anxiety groups, facilitating focused support.

Construct

The scale measures the psychological construct of State Classroom Anxiety, which is defined as a transitory emotional condition characterized by feelings of tension, apprehension, and fear related specifically to the classroom environment. This construct is conceptually linked to, and derived from, Situational Communication Apprehension (SCA).

SCA refers to the fear or anxiety associated with real or anticipated communication with another person or persons. By adapting the SCAM to the educational setting, the CAM focuses on how specific classroom dynamics—such as peer interaction, teacher presence, evaluation fears, or public speaking requirements—trigger this apprehensive state in students.

Validity

Specific details regarding comprehensive construct, concurrent, and predictive validity analyses for the Classroom Anxiety Measure are primarily documented in the key reference material. As the measure is based on the well-established Situational Communication Apprehension Measure (SCAM), it is implied that it inherits foundational validity from that instrument.

For detailed information concerning the validity of the instrument, researchers are directed to the primary source text, which explores the relationship between communication, affect, and learning outcomes in the classroom context.

Reliability

The Classroom Anxiety Measure demonstrates high internal consistency, a crucial indicator of its reliability. Published psychometric properties indicate that users can expect an internal consistency reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s Alpha) of approximately 0.90. This high value suggests that the 20 items within the scale consistently measure the same underlying construct (classroom anxiety).

Factor Analysis

Information regarding the specific results of exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis for the Classroom Anxiety Measure is not explicitly detailed in the original summary content. Given its derivation from the SCAM, the scale is generally assumed to be largely unidimensional, measuring a single overall construct of situational anxiety within the educational setting.

For a thorough understanding of the scale’s dimensional structure and factor loadings, researchers should consult the full text by Richmond, Wrench, and Gorham (2001), which provides the necessary empirical support for the scale’s structure and theoretical underpinnings.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Questionnaire / Attitudinal Scale

Format: 20 items utilizing a 5-point Likert scale response format, ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).

Language Available: English (Primary publication language)

Population Group: Students (typically secondary and post-secondary educational levels).

Age Group: Adolescents and Adults (Students attending class).

Population Details: The measure is applicable to any student population engaged in a structured classroom or learning environment where communication and evaluation are primary components.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate the degree to which each statement describes how they generally feel while attending class. Scoring involves recoding specific positive items (to align them with anxiety scoring) and summing all 20 items to yield a composite score (range 20–100).

Keywords

Affective Domain, Educational Measurement, State Communication Apprehension, Self-Report Instrument, Psychometric properties, Student Well-being, Instructional Communication.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source material.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding current usage fees or specific permissions (e.g., copyright holder contact) is not provided in the source material. Users seeking to utilize the scale should contact V. P. Richmond or Tapestry Press (the 2001 publisher) for current licensing requirements.

Test Year: The theoretical basis and foundational measurement (SCAM) were developed in 1982/1985. The primary psychometric and usage reference was published in 2001.

Reference’s

Richmond, V. P., Wrench, J. S., & Gorham, J. (2001). Communication, affect, and learning in the classroom. Acton, MA: Tapestry Press.

McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1982). Communication apprehension and shyness: Conceptual and operational distinctions. Central States Speech Journal, 33, 458-468.

McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1985). Correlates of communication apprehension: A review of thirty years of research. Communication Education, 34(4), 316-326.

Items of the Classroom Anxiety scale

Directions: This form is composed of statements students have used to describe how they feel in their classroom. After each statement, indicate the number that best describes how you generally feel while attending class. There are no right or wrong answers. Work quickly and circle your first impression. Please indicate the degree to which each statement applies to you by marking whether you:

Strongly Disagree = 1;

Disagree = 2;

Neutral = 3;

Agree = 4;

Strongly Agree = 5

• 1. I feel apprehensive.
• 2. I feel disturbed.
• 3. I am peaceful.
• 4. I feel relaxed.
• 5. I feel uneasy.
• 6. I feel self-assured.
• 7. I feel fearful.
• 8. I feel ruffled.
• 9. I am jumpy.
• 10. I feel composed.
• 11. I am insecure.
• 12. I feel satisfied.
• 13. I feel safe.
• 14. I feel flustered.
• 15. I am cheerful.
• 16. I feel happy.
• 17. I feel dejected.
• 18. I feel pleased.
• 19. I feel good.
• 20. I feel unhappy.

Scoring Instructions:

To compute your scores, add your scores for each item as indicated below:

Recode BOLDED questions with the following format (Note: The source text implies that items representing non-anxiety or positive affect are recoded. Users must identify which items were bolded in the original source not provided here, but typically items 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 are reverse-scored):

• 1=5
• 2=4
• 3=3
• 4=2
• 5=1

After you have recoded the previous questions, add all of the numbers together to get your composite Classroom Anxiety score.

Score interpretation:

• Score should be between 20 and 100.
• Scores of 80 and above indicate high classroom anxiety.
• Scores of 25 and below indicate low test or evaluation apprehension.
• Scores between 26 and 79 indicate moderate test or evaluation apprehension.