The Moderation Role of Test Anxiety in the Relationship Between Attitudes Towards Extracurricular Sports Activities and School Attachment

In this study, it is aimed to examine the prediction level of extracurricular sportive activities on school attachment. Whether exam anxiety has a moderation role in the relationship between these two variables is examined as the second research question of the study. In this study, which examines the relationship between high school students' attitudes towards extracurricular sports activities, school attachment levels and exam anxiety, correlational research design was used among quantitative research methods. A total of 481 students, 168 (35%) female and 313 (65%) male students, studying in high schools affiliated to Çanakkale National Education Directorate participated in the study. "School Attachment Scale for Children and Adolescents", "Student Attitude Scale towards Extracurricular Sports Activities" and "Westside Test Anxiety Scale" were used as data collection tools in the study. In the analysis of the data, Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between school attachment, attitude towards extracurricular sports activities and test anxiety. Then, simple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the predictive power of high school students' attitudes towards extracurricular sportive activities on school attachment. In order to determine the moderating role of test anxiety in the relationship between extracurricular sports activities and school attachment, the moderation analysis was performed in the jamovi medmod moderation section. Cronbach alpha and McDonald's values were analyzed for scale reliability. When the results of the multiple regression analysis were examined, it was determined that cognitive attitude, affective attitude and behavioral attitude, which are the sub-dimensions of attitude towards extracurricular sportive activities, significantly predicted school attachment (R:= 0.465, R2=0.216, F(43.9). According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that high school students' attitudes towards extracurricular sportive activities predicted their level of school attachment by 22%. According to the research findings, it was determined that exam anxiety had a negative moderation role in the relationship between attitude towards extracurricular sports activities and school attachment.