COVID-19 anxiety and uncertainty of classes: Devastating effect on students’ academic behavior and performance

Abstract

Background The second wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) upsurged the level of anxiety among students and in addition to this, frequent closure of class, switching of teaching and learning to virtual added more agony to academic life. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 anxiety and uncertainty in class on academic performance moderated through academic behavior. Methods A structured questionnaire was developed to collect primary data and was distributed to 480 students using a systematic sampling technique. A structured equation model was developed and tested with a few hypotheses to answer the research objectives. A conceptual model was developed with the help of literature in order to understand causal relationship between study variables and tested with the help of the structured equation model. Results The study results showed that COVID-19 anxiety and uncertainty in classes negatively impacted students’ academic behaviour, which lead to students’ poor performance. The study identified that COVID-19 anxiety and uncertainty of class do not have a direct impact on academic performance; it only has an indirect negative impact on academic performance. Conclusions It can be concluded that uncertainty of classes during lockdown increased anxiety among students and it negatively impacted the academic behaviour of the students which lead to poor academic performance. The study helps the policymakers of the education sector to uplift the spirit of students in this pandemic situation and motivate the students to keep hope in their future careers; therefore, this study helps to fill that gap by contributing a working model.