Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale

This study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the Multidimensional Test Anxiety Scale (MTAS; Putwain et al., 2020) and examine its psychometric properties. Participants were first- to third-year high school students in Japan who completed the MTAS, a conventional test anxiety scale, and questionnaires measuring depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and school adjustment. Confirmatory factor analysis supported both a four-factor structure model (worry, cognitive interference, tension, and physiological indicators) and a higher-order factor model, with acceptable fit indices. No substantial changes were observed across gender models, indicating measurement invariance. Evaluation of the scale's reliability showed satisfactory internal consistency, but test-retest reliability was only confirmed for total scores. Convergent validity analysis revealed the MTAS total and subscale scores were highly correlated with the traditional test anxiety scale. The MTAS showed strong correlations with anxiety, moderate correlations with depression, and weak to no correlations with school adjustment. These results suggest the MTAS is a useful instrument for measuring test anxiety among adolescents in Japan.