INFLUENCE OF TEST ANXIETY ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the influence of test anxiety on academic achievement of senior secondary school students in South-West, Nigeria. Five research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The research employed correlational 
survey design. The population comprised 1,468,912 students in South-West, Nigeria. The sample was three hundred and eighty-four (384) students. A self-design questionnaire was used for the study. The questionnaire was titled: Student’s Test Anxiety Level Question (STALQ). The reliability coefficient index of 0.92 was obtained using test-retest. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores, 
standard deviation, t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC). The findings showed that four items recorded low extent while nine other items revealed a high extent. There was significant difference between male and female students test anxiety in senior secondary schools in South-West, Nigeria; and there was no significant relationship between students’ test anxiety level and their academic achievement. Based on their findings the study recommended that school administrators and teachers should pay more attention to students with emotional problems and refer them to schools psychological and counselling centres by 
adopting this will reduce students’ emotional challenges.