Relationship between Students Test Anxiety Levels and Academic Achievement in Secondary Schools

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between students’ test anxiety levels and academic achievement in secondary schools. The study used correlational survey design using Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) for data collection. It was a year-long study. The students’ annual cumulative scores in English Language and Mathematics were used as measure of their academic achievement. Stratified random sampling was used to get a sample of 320 male and female students drawn from four secondary schools in Igbo-Eze South L.G.A. of Enugu state. Four research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated for the study. The data were analyzed using percentages, standard deviation, correlation and measure of central tendency (the mean) and t-test. On the bases of their scores on Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), males were found to be more test anxious than females. The results showed that test anxiety increases with increase in class level. The result also revealed that the relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement was inverse with r = -77 That is, the relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement is such that as test anxiety increases, the academic achievement decreases. The implications and recommendations arising from the findings were highlighted.