Preliminary Piloting of a Multidimensional Questionnaire on Anxiety in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics Learning: Initial Evidence from a Retrospective Convenience Sample

Abstract

Science anxiety may influence students’ engagement and persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, yet its measurement in upper-secondary science remains fragmented. This pilot study developed and preliminarily examined a multidimensional questionnaire assessing subject-specific science anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), thinking-related anxiety, classroom context, and competence beliefs. A retrospective convenience sample of 44 1st-year teacher-education students completed the questionnaire based on their upper-secondary science learning experiences. Analyses focused on feasibility, internal consistency, item functioning, and preliminary associations among constructs. Most subscales showed acceptable to strong internal consistency, although some items and the perceived skills scale required refinement. Physics and chemistry were most often identified as the most anxiety-provoking science subjects. Descriptive correlations suggested that subject-specific anxiety, creative thinking anxiety, and IU were positively related, while teacher support, autonomy, and self-efficacy appeared partly distinct. Overall, the questionnaire provides a preliminary basis for further refinement and validation with current upper-secondary students.