DEVELOPMENT AND STANDARDIZATION OF STATISTICAL ANXIETY SCALE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The study was on development and standardization of a Statistical Anxiety Scale (SAS) for undergraduates in Rivers State University. The researcher used the instrumentation research design in carrying out the study. The population of the study consists of 4020 undergraduate students of faculty of Education, Rivers State University. A sample of 200 undergraduate students was drawn from five departments in the faculty of education. This sample size was arrived at using multi-stage sampling procedure. The development of SAS was designed to effectively assess the anxiety level of the student in statistics. Generation of SAS items was done using the multivariate approach. The instrument was designed using a 4-points Likert scale. The scales construction and development of SAS was done
following the Classical Testing Theory. Trial testing of the SAS was done on 20 students. After this the 39-30 items questionnaire were subjected to factor analysis. Data were analyzed using factor analysis, Cronbach Alpha, Splitshalf, t-test as well as ANOVA. Result showed that construct validity was 0.71. Also, construct validity by hypotheses testing evidence there was no significant difference in the SAS scores of male and female respondents while there was a significant difference in the SAS scores of respondents from the various Educational levels. Cronbach reliability index was 0.76 while Split-half was 0.55. The raw scores was also Standardized using z and t-scores. Recommendation among others was that statisticians should use the instrument in evaluating students especially in tertiary institutions across Rivers State.