The mediating effects of test anxiety on the relationship between socially-prescribed perfectionism and academic burnout of female college students in a dental hygiene department

Objectives The purpose of this study was to uncover the mediating effects of test anxiety on the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and academic burnout in enrolled in a dental hygiene department. Methods This study administered a survey consisting of the Socially Prescribed Perfectionism Scale, the Revised Test Anxiety Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey to 310 female college students in the dental hygiene department at G City. The data were analyzed with correlation analysis using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 20.0. partial mediating effects of test anxiety between socially prescribed perfectionism and academic burnout. Results The results suggest that the higher the levels of socially prescribed perfectionism, the greater the increase in academic burnout. In addition, socially prescribed perfectionism increases test anxiety when academic burnout is high. The analysis of mediating effects in the indirect path of the model revealed that adaptive socially prescribed perfectionism had a negative effect on academic burnout by increasing test anxiety. These findings and their implications were discussed. Conclusions In order to reduce socially imposed perfectionism, it is necessary to reduce growing academic burnout, and test the value and success criteria of this model. There remains however, the fact that there is a need to focus on career goals and criteria that need to be met in order to be successful. By lowering test anxiety, psychological stability is improved and in turn, a stable college life enables dental hygiene students to more freely access psychological support. Therefore, a proactive attitude toward education is vital in preventing test anxiety and socially prescribed perfectionism.