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The relationship of family environment to writing anxiety in college students
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship of family factors to writing anxiety in college students. Starting from the premise that context should be considered in exploring causes of writing apprehension, this study questioned whether correlations could be made between aspects of family environment and the presence of writing anxiety. Participants in this study were drawn from a pool of undergraduates at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The initial sample included 298 students (244 females and 54 males) and ranged in age from 18 to 40. The initial sample of 298 were given two measures: the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) (1975) and the Rudolf Moos Family Environment Survey (FES) (1975). Given the results of the WAT, students were divided into four groups: (1) women with high writing anxiety (n = 20); (2) women with low writing anxiety (n = 20); (3) men with high writing anxiety (n = 12); and (4) men with low writing anxiety (n = 12). These groups were matched for verbal SAT scores. A correlation matrix was constructed using writing anxiety, verbal SAT scores, and the ten subscales of the FES. Factor analysis and stepwise multiple regression were performed. In addition, structured interviews were conducted with four participants. Results of factor analysis yielded three factors labelled as follows: (1) Family Solidarity, which included the variables active-recreational orientation, intellectual- cultural orientation and cohesion; (2) Tolerance of Difference, which included the variables control, independence and expressiveness; and (3) Organization. Through multiple regression it was found that SAT plus three family factors accounted for 16% of variance in the writing apprehension scores. Qualitative findings from the interviews supported the empirical results pointing to the conclusion that the combination of cohesion and allowance for differentiation was an optimum environment for low writing anxiety. Results also supported the importance of combining qualitative and quantitative methods, as information from the interviews amplified empirical findings and helped to define the relationship between cohesion and allowance for differentiation. Directions for future research include more specific exploration of the relationship between allowance for differentiation and writing anxiety. In addition, the finding that context is a factor in writing anxiety indicates the importance of investigating correlations with other contexts as well, such as teaching styles and curricula.
Subject Area
Educational psychology|Language arts|Individual & family studies|Sociology
Recommended Citation
Berkman, Deborah B, "The relationship of family environment to writing anxiety in college students" (1992). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9233033.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9233033