Examining the relationship of trait anxiety and worry among African-American female undergraduate students

LuSheena M Jones-Coofer, Tennessee State University

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between trait anxiety and worry among African-American female undergraduate students. The sample consisted of 33 participants attending a mid southern historically black college/university. The trait anxiety measure employed was the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The STAI assesses the level of state and trait anxiety an individual has; state anxiety for how the individual is feeling at the present time and trait anxiety for how the individual feels most of the time. The worry measure used was the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). The PSWQ measures the amount of worry an individual has. A third measure used was the Qualitative Questionnaire Part I and Part II. The QQ was developed by the researcher. The QQ attempted to find any additional stressors of the participants that could contribute to worry or anxiety. The data showed a significant difference in the study participants' trait anxiety scores compared to the normative group scores. The average score on the STAI for trait anxiety was nearly 52 for the 34 participants. The normative groups' mean was 40. There was no significant relationship between trait anxiety and worry among the participants. The implications from the current study include college and university campuses developing a program for students that address worry and anxiety as a student. They being typical as well as atypical to better equip students with tools to cope and graduate college.

Subject Area

Black studies|Social psychology|Womens studies|Clinical psychology|African American Studies

Recommended Citation

LuSheena M Jones-Coofer, "Examining the relationship of trait anxiety and worry among African-American female undergraduate students" (2008). ETD Collection for Tennessee State University. Paper AAI1456757.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI1456757

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