Examination Anxiety, Academic Performance and Coping Strategies among High School and Graduating Students

Abstract

Examination anxiety is a prevalent issue among students and has long been studied for its effects on academic performance. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between examination anxiety, academic performance, and coping strategies among high school and graduating students, and whether gender moderates this relationship. A total of 124 students (62 males and 62 females) participated in the study, completing standardized instruments including the Test Anxiety Scale (TAS), Westside Test Anxiety Scale, and Brief-COPE Inventory. Academic performance was self-reported through CGPA. Statistical analyses including descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, regression analysis, and independent samples t-tests were conducted. Contrary to the first hypothesis (H1), no significant negative relationship was found between test anxiety and academic performance. Instead, students with higher anxiety were found to use both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, with adaptive coping unexpectedly predicting higher anxiety, thereby rejecting Hypothesis 2 (H2). Coping strategies also play a critical role in mitigating anxiety and its academic consequences. Active, problem-focused coping has been linked to better academic outcomes, whereas avoidant or maladaptive coping tends to worsen performance under stress (Chaudhury et al., 2019). Furthermore, the third hypothesis (H3), which posited that female students would report higher anxiety, was also rejected, as no significant gender difference in anxiety levels was observed. The results challenge common assumptions about the detrimental impact of anxiety and the protective role of adaptive coping. The findings suggest a need for a more contextual understanding of how students cope with academic pressure, highlighting the complexity of stress responses in educational environments.