The Pre-Service Teacher Test Anxiety Scale: A Principal Components AnalysisTable of ContentsRationale for the Scale p. 3Large-scale development p. 4Initial scale p. 6Large-scale development analysis p. 7Table 1 (Factor loadings) p. 9Principal components analysis with orthogonal rotationReliability and validity p. 10Table 2 (Correlations for validation) p. 10Demographic comparison p. 11Recommendations p. 11References p. 13 Internal Structure, Reliability, and Validity of the Pre-Service Teacher Test Anxiety Scale Rationale for the New Scale Nervous feelings leading up to an upcoming exam are something that most people have experienced at some point in their life. Some people are not much affected by pre-exam jitters, while others find it debilitating (Sarson, 1978). This more extreme type of reaction to an impending exam is known as test anxiety. Anxiety can be defined as an individual's response to something perceived as a threat, which can manifest in several different ways (Hockenbury, 2010). Test anxiety can affect an individual's mood, thoughts, behaviors, and even bodily functions (Seligman, Walker, & Rosenhan, 2010). For example, people with test anxiety who have an upcoming exam may have difficulty concentrating, have an upset stomach, or suffer from a depressed mood. A number of scales have been created to examine mathematics anxiety in pre-service teachers (Bekdemir, 2010). ; Gresham, 2007). However, there is limited research available examining test anxiety in this population. Test anxiety can have harmful side effects on test anxiety and exam stress. Journal of the Psychiatric Society of Pakistan, 9(2), 85-90.Gresham, G. (2007). A study of mathematics anxiety among pre-service teachers. Journal of Early Childhood Education, 35(2), 181-188.Hockenbury, D. (2010). Discovering Psychology: WH Freeman & Company. Sarason, I. G. (1978). The test anxiety scale: Concept and research. Stress and Anxiety, 5, 185-216. Seligman, M., Walker, E.F., & Rosenhan, D.L. (2010). Abnormal psychology (4th ed.). New York: WW Norton & Company, Inc. Spielberger, CD (1980). Test Anxiety Inventory: Preliminary professional manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. Sullivan, L. (2002). The effect of test anxiety on attention and memory skills in undergraduate students. Paper presented at the Annual Review of Undergraduate Research at the College of Charleston, USA Charleston.