Gender Differences in Test Anxiety and Academic Performance of Medical Students

Abstract

The current research investigates gender differences in test anxiety level and academic performance of medical students. A sample of 150 medical students (75 males and 75 females) was drawn from the Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) within the age range of 17-24 years. Purposive sampling technique was used. ∗ Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) by Professor Emeritus Dr. Charles D. Spielberger (1980) was individually administered to the participants. The author granted written permission for the use of TAI in this research. The results suggested that the female medical students reported significantly higher test anxiety level as compared to the male medical students (t = - 5.02, df = 148, **p < .01). Moreover, the results suggested that the male medical students achieved statistically significant higher GPAS as compared to the female medical students (t = 3.66, df = 148, **p < .01). Furthermore, significant negative relationship was found between test anxiety and academic performance of medical students (r = -.21, ** p < .01). The findings of this research have implications for helping professionals and academia in addressing the test anxiety of the students in higher education so that timely and effective counseling and therapeutic interventions could be introduced in medical colleges and universities.