Abstract: Theorists have proposed and research has confirmed that personality traits and most anxiety disorders are strongly related. Specially, several researchers have proposed hierarchical models for the vulnerability of anxiety, and such models imply that personality traits should be regarded as a higher order vulnerability factor, while there are more specific second-order factors that intermediate between basic personality traits and various manifestations of anxiety. Intolerance of uncertainty(IU in abbreviation ), a dispositional characteristic which results from a set of negative beliefs about uncertainty and its implications, appears to be a transdiagnostic vulnerability factor for most anxiety disorders and then is included as a second-order factor. Considering the other two second-order factors of self-esteem and fear of negative evaluation and the possible effect they have on IU, this research tends to explore the link between personality traits and test anxiety and the mediation of self-esteem, fear of negative evaluation and IU herein, and then proposes a hypothesized model on the basis the literature analysis. In the present study, a series of questionnaires including a brief version of Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Test Anxiety Scale, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, shortened version of Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale were distributed to measure 410 senior high school students and college students at campus. All the questionnaires have been proved to have acceptable reliability and validity in the past researches. Correlation analysis , regression analysis and structural equation modeling were applied to analyze the data. Results proved that personality traits including neuroticism, psychoticism and extraversion, acting as general vulnerability factors, were significantly associated with test anxiety just as expected. Neuroticism as a higher order vulnerability factor had a robust effect on test anxiety, and psychoticism and extraversion, to a lesser extent, also exerted a significant effect on test anxiety. Results of the mediation analysis of self-esteem, fear of negative evaluation and IU were generally consistent with the hypothesized theoretical model and the important mediating role of IU was comfirmed. Specifically, except for a direct significant effect neuroticism and psychoticism had on test anxiety, they also had an indirect significant effect on test anxiety through the serial mediation of fear of negative evaluation and IU, and meanwhile, neuroticism and extraversion influenced test anxiety indirectly through the serial mediation of self-esteem and IU. Besides, IU could also mediated the relationship between neuroticism and test anxiety. Overall, the hierarchical model of test anxiety were supported in the study, and factors mediating the relations between personality traits and test anxiety had been investigated , serving as a descriptive framework for understanding this anxiety subtype and other anxiety disorders and probably providing a basis for developing more specific treatments for test anxiety. To conclude, personality traits had a significant effect on test anxiety directly or indirectly, and self-esteem, fear of negative evaluation and IU played a mediating role between personality traits and test anxiety.

Key words: personality traits, intolerance of uncertainty, test anxiety, multiple mediating effect

摘要： 目的：探讨自尊、惧怕负面评价及无法忍受不确定性在人格特质和考试焦虑间的中介作用。方法：采用人格问卷简式量表EPQ-RSC、Rosenberg自尊问卷、惧怕负面评价量表简表、无法忍受不确定性量表和考试焦虑量表测量410名在校高中生和大学生。结果：(1) 相关分析表明，神经质、惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑之间彼此正相关显著；外向性与自尊正相关显著，与惧怕负面评价、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑等负相关显著；精神质与自尊、惧怕负面评价及考试焦虑等负相关显著；自尊与神经质、惧怕负面恐惧、无法忍受不确定性及考试焦虑负相关显著。(2) 回归分析表明，人格特质中的神经质和精神质能显著预测考试焦虑，无法忍受不确定性在人格特质和考试焦虑之间起部分中介作用；结构方程模型分析结果显示，人格特质中神经质和精神质对考试焦虑的直接效应显著，经由自尊、惧怕负面评价和无法忍受不确定性对考试焦虑的间接效应也极为显著。结论：自尊、惧怕负面评价和无法忍受不确定性在人格特质与考试焦虑间起着中介作用。

关键词: 人格特质, 无法忍受不确定性, 考试焦虑, 多重中介