Psychometric validation of an ultra-short form test anxiety inventory: initial step towards a brief screening measure

Abstract

Background Test anxiety affects up to 40% of university students and is associated with academic failure, depression and suicidal ideation, yet clinical screening and high-frequency research designs remain hampered by the burden of 20-item instruments such as the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). Although brief measures exist (e.g. the ten-item Westside Test Anxiety Scale and the five-item TAI), a validated, gender-invariant hierarchy of ultra-short forms tailored to contemporary undergraduates is lacking. Aims To develop and validate a hierarchy of brief TAI versions (ten-item Short Form, five-item Ultra-Short Form and three-item Micro Form) suitable for systematic screening and ecological monitoring in student mental health contexts. Method A large sample of Israeli undergraduates (N = 1803) completed the Hebrew TAI. Items were selected based on exploratory factor analysis loadings. Structural validity and gender measurement invariance were confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis. Results The five-item Ultra-Short Form showed excellent fit (comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.995, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.05) and the three-item Micro Form exhibited strong standardised factor loadings (≥0.79). Strict scalar invariance was established across genders for all versions. All versions maintained high internal consistency (α ≥ 0.85) and strong correlations with the full scale (r ≥ 0.88). Selected items prioritised somatic over cognitive distress, suggesting contemporary students experience test anxiety as a visceral, physiological ‘survival threat’ rather than cognitive rumination. Conclusions These validated brief measures offer a promising toolkit for ‘agile assessment’ in student mental health settings, enabling early identification of at-risk students, pending external criterion validation and independent replication.