Predicting School Anxiety among students Based on Metacognitive Beliefs and Social Support

The present study aimed to predicte the school anxiety among students based on metacognition and social support.

The present study was a descriptive-correlational study. The population of this study was all second grade high school students in Arak city. 235 students (125 males and 110 females) were selected by multistage cluster random sampling method and they answered Social Support Questionnaire (SS-A), Wells and Cartwright- Hatton MetaCognition Questionnaire (MCQ) and school anxiety scale. The data were analyzed through Pearson correlation test and stepwise regression.

The results of Pearson correlation test showed that there is a significant positive relationship between metacognitive beliefs and school anxiety (p<0/01), there is also a significant negative relationship between social support and school anxiety (p<0/01). Results of stepwise regression showed that the subscales of negative beliefs about the uncontrollable thoughts, support of others and poor cognitive confidence significantly explain 30/1 percent of the variance of school anxiety (p<0/001).

According to the results, it can be said that metacognitive beliefs and social support are anticipant of school anxiety among students.