“GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACADEMIC

ANXIETY AT HIGHER SECONDARY LEVEL”

RESEARCH PROJECT

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

DR. RESHMA QURESHI AMOL NEMA
MRS. SOMYA SINGH AMAN MEHRA
PRIYANSHU
NIKHIL DHOKE

INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER

EDUCATION (IEHE), BHOPAL
SESSION- 2020-21
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Firstly, we’d like to thank The Director of our Institute who

gave us this opportunity to work on this project. Next we’d
like to thank the Head of Department of Psychology Dr.
Anupam Shukla mam who constantly guided us during the
making of this project. We’d also like to thank our subject
teachers Mrs. Somya Singh , Mrs. Sanskriti Damade Dr.
Reshma Qureshi and Dr. Geeta Ahirwar for their support
and guidance.
Lastly, we’d thank our Parents and Friends for their
motivation and encouragement. Without any of the
above, this work would not have been such a huge
success.
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Amol Nema , Aman Mehra ,

Priyanshu and Nikhil Dhoke of B.A 3RD Year (Psychology
Honours) of Institute For Excellence In Higher Education
(IEHE) , Bhopal have successfully completed their project
work titled “Gender Differences in Academic Anxiety At
Higher Secondary Level” for the session 2020-21.
This is a Bonafide work of students.

-----------------------
DR. RESHMA QURESHI
 PREFACE
Academic anxiety ,a type of anxiety in students , related to academic task , where a anxiety is a
what help us to prepare for any future threat and Academic Anxiety is at the peak during the
higher secondary standard all the students were had anxiety because it directly connects them
to the path of success in their lives.
Although there are different factors and bases in which Academic Anxiety lies. Some of them is
motivational level, preparation, speed, understanding level, environment etc. these are all the
factors which contributes in Anxiety
But, the Anxiety is also related to the scoring of grades in exam, a person with more Academic
Anxiety from a normal one, later prepare better for future threat, or Academic Task. If his/her
don’t feel any Academic Anxiety it may cause failure or overconfident that lead to misfortune or
failure.
Because Academics is directly related to Success of a person in life. Academic Anxiety rather
decide your faith or may destroy it also.
 INDEX

S.NO CONTENTS PAGE NO.

1 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION 01--03

2 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE 04--08

3 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY 09--10

4 CHAPTER 4

RESULT 11

5 CHAPTER 5

DISCUSSION &
INTERPRETATION 12--13

6 CHAPTER 6

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION 14

7 APPENDIX 15--18

8 REFERENCES 19
 CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION
ANXIETY
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as "an emotion characterized by feelings of
tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure." Knowing the difference
between normal feelings of anxiety and an anxiety disorder requiring medical attention can help a person
identify and treat the condition. In this article, we look at the differences between anxiety and anxiety
disorder, the different types of anxiety, and the available treatment options.
While anxiety can cause distress, it is not always a medical condition.
When an individual faces potentially harmful or worrying triggers, feelings of anxiety are not only normal
but necessary for survival.
Since the earliest days of humanity, the approach of predators and incoming danger sets off alarms in the
body and allows evasive action. These alarms become noticeable in the form of a raised heartbeat,
sweating, and increased sensitivity to surroundings.
The danger causes a rush of adrenalin, a hormone and chemical messenger in the brain, which in turn
triggers these anxious reactions in a process called the "fight-or-flight' response. This prepares humans to
physically confront or flee any potential threats to safety.
For many people, running from larger animals and imminent danger is a less pressing concern than it
would have been for early humans. Anxieties now revolve around work, money, family life, health, and
other crucial issues that demand a person's attention without necessarily requiring the 'fight-or-flight'
reaction.
The nervous feeling before an important life event or during a difficult situation is a natural echo of the
original 'fight-or-flight' reaction. It can still be essential to survival – anxiety about being hit by a car when
crossing the street, for example, means that a person will instinctively look both ways to avoid danger.
Anxiety disorders
The duration or severity of an anxious feeling can sometimes be out of proportion to the original trigger, or
stressor. Physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure and nausea, may also develop. These
responses move beyond anxiety into an anxiety disorder.
The APA describes a person with anxiety disorder as "having recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns."
Once anxiety reaches the stage of a disorder, it can interfere with daily function.
Symptoms
While a number of different diagnoses constitute anxiety disorders, the symptoms of generalized anxiety
disorder (GAD) will often include the following:
Restlessness, and a feeling of being "on-edge" , uncontrollable feelings of worry , increased irritability ,
concentration difficulties , sleep difficulties, such as problems in falling or staying asleep
While these symptoms might be normal to experience in daily life, people with GAD will experience them
to persistent or extreme levels. GAD may present as vague, unsettling worry or a more severe anxiety that
disrupts day-to-day living.
For information on the symptoms of other diagnoses under the umbrella of anxiety disorders, follow the
links in the "Types" section below.
TYPES OF ANXIETY
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders: Fifth Edition (DSM-V) classifies anxiety
disorders into several main types.
In previous editions of DSM, anxiety disorders included obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as acute stress disorder. However, the manual now no longer
groups these mental health difficulties under anxiety.
Anxiety disorders now include the following diagnoses.
Generalized anxiety disorder: This is a chronic disorder involving excessive, long-lasting anxiety and
worries about nonspecific life events, objects, and situations. GAD is the most common anxiety disorder,
and people with the disorder are not always able to identify the cause of their anxiety.
Panic disorder: Brief or sudden attacks of intense terror and apprehension characterize panic disorder.
These attacks can lead to shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and breathing difficulties. Panic attacks
tend to occur and escalate rapidly, peaking after 10 minutes. However, a panic attack might last for hours.
Panic disorders usually occur after frightening experiences or prolonged stress but may also occur without
a trigger. An individual experiencing a panic attack may misinterpret it as a life-threatening illness, and may
make drastic changes in behavior to avoid future attacks.
Specific phobia: This is an irrational fear and avoidance of a particular object or situation. Phobias are not
like other anxiety disorders, as they relate to a specific cause.
A person with a phobia might acknowledge a fear as illogical or extreme but remain unable to control
feelings anxiety around the trigger. Triggers for a phobia range from situations and animals to everyday
objects.

Agoraphobia: This is a fear and avoidance of places, events, or situations from which it may be difficult to
escape or in which help would not be available if a person becomes trapped. People often misunderstand
this condition as a phobia of open spaces and the outdoors, but it is not so simple. A person with
agoraphobia may have a fear of leaving home or using elevators and public transport.
Selective Mutism: This is a form of anxiety that some children experience, in which they are not able to
speak in certain places or contexts, such as school, even though they may have excellent verbal
communication skills around familiar people. It may be an extreme form of social phobia.
Social anxiety disorder: This is a fear of negative judgment from others in social situations or of public
embarrassment. Social anxiety disorder includes a range of feelings, such as stage fright, a fear of intimacy,
and anxiety around humiliation and rejection.
This disorder can cause people to avoid public situations and human contact to the point that everyday
living is rendered extremely difficult.
ACADEMIC ANXIETY
Anxiety is a normal reaction to certain situations. A small level of anxiety is normal, but severe anxiety can
be a serious problem. Academic anxiety can become more detrimental over time. As a student’s academic
performance suffers, the anxiety level related to certain academic tasks increases Huberty (2012). Most
teachers will have students with social anxiety and/or academic anxiety. Social anxiety can also affect a
student’s academic performance. If a student has social anxiety, the student might not be able to
complete group tasks or might not feel comfortable asking for help in class. Social anxiety can go along
with or even lead to academic anxiety. Teaching students self-regulation can redulation can reduce anxiety
and increase academic performance.
(Ader & Erktin, 2012). Students experiencing academic anxiety feel apprehensive over academic tasks.
Students can feel anxiety related to every academic task. Some may only feel anxiety related to test taking
or other specifc tasks. Anxiety is not always negative. Some students can be motivated by anxiety.
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO ACADEMIC ANXIETY
1. Worry: Thoughts that prevent you from focusing on and successfully completing academic work. For
example, prediction of failure, self-degrading thoughts or preoccupation with the consequences of
doing poorly. Some effective techniques for managing this component includes, disputing negative and
Self defeating thoughts with more productive, realistic thoughts, and self-hypnosis.
2. Emotionality: Biological symptoms of anxiety. For example, fast heart-beat, sweaty palms, muscle
tension. The most effective strategies for dealing with emotionality are muscle and breathing relaxation
exercises.
3. Task generated interference: Behaviors related to the task at hand, but which are unproductive and
prevent successful performance. For example, constantly checking the clock during an exam, or
spending a lot of time on a test question you Cannot answer. Since these behaviors can take on many
forms, the best management technique is to work with a study skills instructor or a counselor to identify
the specific behaviors that cause problems and create a plan to reduce or change them.
4. Study skill deficits: Problems with your current study methods which create anxiety. For example, last-
minute cramming resulting in not knowing answers to test questions or poor note- taking during lecture
resulting in confusion about a major Assignment. Many students experience the first three components of
academic anxiety as a results of study skills deficits. If this is the case, then your grades will not
improve unless study skills are addressed. A study skills instructor can help you with this.
5. Procrastination: Procrastination means to put off or postpone for another day. Procrastination effects
the behavioral, psychological, health of students. Academic procrastination is a form of procrastination
peculator to education. Procrastination is found to result in stress, anxiety, a sense of guilt and crisis,
health problems, and severe loss of productivity, as well as social disapproval for not meeting
responsibilities or commitments. These feeling combined may promote further procrastination.
Piers Steel (2010) indicated in that anxiety is just as likely to get people to start working early as late
and that the focus of studies on procrastination should be impulsiveness. That is anxiety will cause people
of delay only if they are impulsive.
 CHAPTER-2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Huberty (2009) wrote an article about test and performance anxiety. At the time of the article, Huberty
was a professor and the director of Indiana University’s School Psychology program. The article is very
informative and lists characteristics, causes, and types of anxiety. Huberty also discusses interventions for
school employees and parents. Characteristics of anxiety can affect students behaviorally, cognitively, and
physiologically. High stakes testing can be very difficult for students with anxiety. Students with anxiety are
likely to also suffer from depression. Teachers and parents can work together to help students learn to
cope with anxiety.
M. Nubli , A. Wahab , A. Othman , T. Herawan , S. K. Sinnadurai (2010)
The Relationship between Study Anxiety and Academic Performance among Engineering Students
Anxiety is one of the major predictors of academic performance. Students with anxiety disorder display a
passive attitude in their studies such as lack of interest in learning, poor performance in exams, and on
assignments. This research observes the relationship between study anxiety level and students’ academic
performance. The test to find out a significant correlation of anxiety and academic performance was has
carried out among engineering students. A total 205 males and females student participated in this test.
They were second year students from four engineering faculties at University Malaysia Pahang (UMP). The
study anxiety level was measured using State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Meanwhile, students’
academic performance was measured using Grade Point Average (GPA). The results showed that there was
a significant correlation of high level anxiety and low academic performance among engineering students,
with significant correlation (p = 0.000) and the correlation coefficient is small with r = -.264. Large of
sample size required to strengthen the coefficient correlation was suggested for further research.
Y.Nie , ShunLau , A. K. Liau (2011)
Role of academic self-efficacy in moderating the relation between task importance and test anxiety
Emphasizing task importance, which is regarded as a way of motivating engaged behavior, may increase an
individual's anxiety. The present research investigated whether academic self-efficacy could moderate the
maladaptive relation between task importance and test anxiety. 1978 and 1670 Grade 9 Singaporean
students participated in a survey related to their learning experience and motivational processes in math
and English respectively. Results from both samples showed convergent findings that high levels of task
importance were related to high levels of test anxiety, whereas high levels of academic self-efficacy were
related to low levels of test anxiety. Most importantly, academic self-efficacy moderated the relation
between task importance and test anxiety—the maladaptive relation between task importance and test
anxiety was significantly weaker when academic self-efficacy was higher. Implications of findings are
discussed.
Grills-Taquechel, Fletcher, Vaughn, & Stuebing (2012)
Conducted a quantitative, nonexperimental study to determine the relationship between reading
difficulties and anxiety in students. The researchers analyzed the anxiety levels and achievement test
scores of 153 average or at-risk general education first grade students. Students completed the
Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children. Students rated themselves on questions. Because the scale is
normally used for children who are at least eight years old, the questions were read to the students. The
Word Attack and Letter-Word Identification portions of the Woodcock Johnson Test Battery-III were
administered to the participants. At the beginning and at the end of the study, the oral reading fluency
levels of the students were monitored using the Continuous Monitoring of Early Reading Skills program.
Students who had lower reading scores at the beginning of the study tended to decrease their harm
avoidance tendencies at the end of the study. A decrease in harm avoidance tendencies means the
students were not as concerned with reading correctly. Those same students tended to increase their
separation anxiety tendencies at the end of the study. The students did not necessarily worry about their
reading skills, but they were more likely to avoid going to school. When using anxiety at the beginning of
the study as a predictor of fluency at the end of the study, researchers found that students with higher
levels of harm avoidance at the beginning of the study showed increases in reading skills at the end of the
study. This trend was more evident in girls than boys. Anxiety turned out to be a motivating influence for
some students.

Average students and students with learning disabilities are not alone in suffering from academic anxiety.
Gifted students can also suffer from anxiety. Fletcher and Speirs (2012) conducted research on how
perfectionism and achievement motivation can affect gifted students. Perfectionist students can suffer
from academic anxiety because of unrealistic expectations set by themselves or others. Perfectionism is
not limited to gifted students. There is some disagreement in research as to whether perfectionism is
harmful or helpful because not all students react to pressure in the same ways, and research generally
focuses on either the good or bad results of perfectionism. Some research that focuses on different types
of perfectionism. Self-prescribed perfectionism is when students have high expectations for themselves.
Self-prescribed perfectionism can be beneficial to students as long as students are not too hard on
themselves. Socially-prescribed perfectionism is when others imposed their high expectations on students.
Socially-prescribed perfectionism tends to be more harmful to students. Students may develop anxiety
problems because they are very worried about fulfilling others expectations. Researchers did not fully
explore the connection between perfectionism and anxiety.

Alam , Md. Mahmood (2013)

A Study of Test Anxiety, Self-Esteem and Academic Performance Among Adolescents.
The aim of this study is to discover how test anxiety and self-esteem affect academic performance. Three
hundred and twenty randomly selected students of class 12 of the government inter colleges in Darbhanga
town were involved in the study. They were asked to complete the Test Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger et
al., 1980) and the Coopersmith SelfEsteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1987) in a classroom environment
during regular school hours. Their aggregate marks of 11th class were also collected. The data were then
analyzed using descriptive, correlational and inferential statistics. The study discovered that overall (i) low
test anxiety students (boys, girls, rural and urban) had higher academic performance than high test anxiety
students (boys, girls, rural and urban); (ii) there is a positive relationship between self-esteem and
academic performance of the students (boys, girls, rural and urban); (iii) there is a negative relationship
between test anxiety and self-esteem of students (boys, girls, rural and urban); (iv) boys have least test
anxiety, better self-esteem and better academic performance than girls; and (v) urban students have least
test anxiety, better self-esteem and excellent academic performance in comparison to their rural
counterparts.
L. Jacob , B. Aryn , C. Karpinski (2014)
The relationship between cell phone use, academic performance, anxiety, and Satisfaction with Life in
college students
While functional differences between today’s cell phones and traditional computers are becoming less
clear, one difference remains plain – cell phones are almost always on-hand and allow users to connect
with an array of services and networks at almost any time and any place. The Pew Center’s Internet and
American Life Project suggests that college students are the most rapid adopters of cell phone technology
and research is emerging which suggests high frequency cell phone use may be influencing their health and
behavior. Thus, we investigated the relationships between total cell phone use (N = 496) and texting (N =
490) on Satisfaction with Life (SWL) in a large sample of college students. It was hypothesized that the
relationship would be mediated by Academic Performance (GPA) and anxiety. Two separate path models
indicated that the cell phone use and texting models had good overall fit. Cell phone use/texting was
negatively related to GPA and positively related to anxiety; in turn, GPA was positively related to SWL while
anxiety was negatively related to SWL. These findings add to the debate about student cell phone use, and
how increased use may negatively impact academic performance, mental health, and subjective well-being
or happiness.
P. Mutodi, H. Ngirande (2015)
Exploring Mathematics Anxiety: Mathematics Students’ Experiences
The purpose of this research was to explore students’ mathematics anxiety levels at a selected tertiary
institution in South Africa. Mathematics achievement is a top priority in the world over. South Africa lags
behind in mathematics education and must do everything to develop effective strategies for the
instruction of mathematics. The research examined the differences in mathematics anxiety levels
according to gender, age and home language. This study examined responses to a questionnaire
administered to students, utilizing a quantitative research. Data on perceived notions of students’
mathematical experiences was collected. The study involved 120 respondents (84 male and 36 female)
randomly selected. The instrument used to measure mathematics anxiety levels was adopted from Jerran’s
Maths Centre (2012). The data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version
20.0. Hypotheses were formulated to test the information that was generated. A t-test for the difference
between means of the anxiety levels of males and females, Chi–square tests for association and ANOVA for
testing differences among language backgrounds and anxiety levels were used as statistical analyses to
measure responses. The findings of the study indicated that there are high mathematics anxiety levels
among the respondents. The results also show high levels of mathematics anxiety among female students.
The t-test showed that the mean difference between mathematics anxiety and gender is significant. Based
on the findings of this study, it is worth noting that mathematics anxiety is one psychological factor that
affects students’ achievement and their general practices. Therefore, facilitators/teachers should strive to
understand mathematics anxiety and implement teaching and learning strategies and study habits that can
help them overcome anxiety.
G. Nash, G. Crimmins & F. (2016)
If first-year students are afraid of public speaking assessments what can teachers do to alleviate such
anxiety?
Public speaking and oral assessments are common in higher education, and they can be a major cause of
anxiety and stress for students. This study was designed to measure the student experience of public
speaking assessment tasks in a mandatory first-year course at a regional Australian university. The research
conducted was an instrumental case study, with a student-centred focus. Surveys were designed to elicit
student perceptions of their emotions and experience before and after engaging in public speaking skill
development exercises and a public assessment task. After undertaking public speaking desensitisation and
assessment, students experienced increased satisfaction and decreased fear, indecision and confusion.
However, students’ perceptions of their confidence to control nerves, maintain eye contact, use gestures
and comfortably speak in front of 25 people reduced – an unexpected outcome of the research. The
reasons for this remain unclear, which provides a window for further research. Public speaking assessment
tasks should be aligned with learning activities, and opportunities to minimise the impact of barriers to
students engaging in the learning activities or tasks should be incorporated into curriculum.
Differentiating anxiety forms and their role in academic performance from primary to secondary school
(2017)
Individuals with high levels of mathematics anxiety are more likely to have other forms of anxiety, such as
general anxiety and test anxiety, and tend to have some math performance decrement compared to those
with low math anxiety. However, it is unclear how the anxiety forms cluster in individuals, or how the
presence of other anxiety forms influences the relationship between math anxiety and math performance.
We measured math anxiety, test anxiety, general anxiety and mathematics and reading performance in
1720 UK students (year 4, aged 8–9, and years 7 and 8, aged 11–13). We conducted latent profile analysis
of students’ anxiety scores in order to examine the developmental change in anxiety profiles, the
demographics of each anxiety profile and the relationship between profiles and academic performance.
Anxiety profiles appeared to change in specificity between the two age groups studied. Only in the older
students did clusters emerge with specifically elevated general anxiety or academic anxiety (test and math
anxiety). Our findings suggest that boys are slightly more likely than girls to have elevated academic
anxieties relative to their general anxiety. Year 7/8 students with specifically academic anxiety show lower
academic performance than those who also have elevated general anxiety.

There may be a developmental change in the specificity of anxiety and gender seems to play a strong role
in determining one’s anxiety profile. The anxiety profiles present in our year 7/8 sample, and their
relationships with math performance, suggest a bidirectional relationship between math anxiety and math
performance.
S. Bucker , S. Nuradin , B. A. Simonsmeier , M. Schneider , M. Luhmann (2018)
Subjective well-being and academic achievement: A meta-analysis
Is the subjective well-being (SWB) of high-achieving students generally higher compared to low achieving
students? In this meta-analysis, we investigated the association between SWB and academic achievement
by synthesizing 151 effect sizes from 47 studies with a total of 38,946 participants. The correlation
between academic achievement and SWB was small to medium in magnitude and statistically significant
atr = 0.164, 95% CI [0.113, 0.216]. The correlation was stable across various levels of demographic
variables, different domains of SWB, and was stable across alternative measures of academic achievement
or SWB. Overall, the results suggest that low-achieving students do not necessarily report low well-being,
and that high-achieving students do not automatically experience high levels of well-being.
T.K. Drazdowski , W. L. Kliewer , A. Farrell (2019)
A Longitudinal Study of the Bidirectional Relations Between Anxiety Symptoms and Peer Victimization
in Urban Adolescents
The current study examined bidirectional relations between anxious symptoms and two forms of peer
victimization (i.e., overt and relational) within an underrepresented sample of urban adolescents during
key transition periods (i.e., elementary to middle school; middle school to high school) and the following 2
years. A predominantly African American sample (91%) of 358 adolescents (56% female, mean age = 12.10
years) living in low-income urban areas were assessed annually across 4 years. Using self-report measures,
adolescents reported on their past year experiences of anxiety and peer victimization. Longitudinal path
analyses tested progressively complex models for each type of victimization. Anxious symptoms predicted
both overt and relational victimization at the time of transition (Wave 1 to Wave 2) and the following year
(Wave 2 to Wave 3). Furthermore, whereas previous levels of victimization and future anxious symptoms
were positively correlated over time, only relational victimization at Wave 1 predicted anxious symptoms
at Wave 2. Prior levels of each construct were the strongest predictor of future outcomes (e.g., anxious
symptoms
at Wave 1 predicting anxious symptoms at Wave 2). Overall, there was little support for bidirectional
relations between anxiety symptoms and peer victimization. Intervention and prevention programs
seeking to reduce peer victimization or anxiety should start by targeting the symptom/behavior of interest.
Interventions that target anxious thoughts and feelings during these key transition times in adolescence
should be assessed as areas of priority
 CHAPTER -3
METHODOLOGY
SAMPLING METHOD
Sampling is the process of selecting a representative group from the population under study. The target
population is the total group of individuals from which the sample might be drawn. A sample is the group
of people who take part in the investigation. The people who take part are referred to as
“participants”.Generalisability refers to the extent to which we can apply the findings of our research to
the target population we are interested in.

CHARACTERSTICS OF SAMPLING
Much cheaper, Saves time, much reliable, Very suitable for carrying out different surveys, Scientific in
nature, detailed enquiry, Administrative convenience.

SIMPLE RANDOMIZE SAMPLING

Simple Randomize Sampling is the basic sampling technique where we select a group of subjects (a
sample) for study from a larger group (a population). Each individual is chosen entirely by chance and each
member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample. Every possible sample of a
given size has the same chance of selection.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

BOYS GIRLS
ACADEMIC ANXIETY 31.70 37.63
LEVEL (MEAN)
NO. OF SAMPLES 30 30

COMPARATIVE STUDY –
Comparative study is used to determine and quantify relationships between two or more variables by
observing different groups that either by choice or circumstances is exposed to different treatments.
Comparative Study looks at two or more similar groups, individuals or conditions by comparing them.

OBJECTIVES:
(i)To assess the academic anxiety of the higher secondary students.
(ii) To assess the academic anxiety of girls and boys of higher secondary students.
(iii) To study the gender difference in academic anxiety of the higher secondary students.

NULL HYPOTHESIS:
There would be no significant difference in academic anxiety in girls and boys at higher secondary level.

ALTERNATE HYPOTHESIS:
There would be significant difference in academic anxiety in girls and boys at higher secondary level.
TOOLS REQUIRED:
Inventory and Manual for Academic Anxiety, Calculator and Stationary Items.

VARIABLES:
(INDEPENDENT VARIABLES) – GENDER (i.e. boys and girls)
(DEPENDENT VARIABLES) – ACADEMIC ANXIETY
(ENVIROMENTAL VARIABLES) - Loud Noise, Bright Light, Crowd, Constant Temperature.

PILOT STUDY
First of all, requesting a school to grant permission to conduct study was taken. In this study we took 20
subjects from a high secondary school. Because this study is based on secondary level of students. There
are 10 boys and 10 girls (age 16-17). We use the Academic Anxiety Scale developed by Prof.S.K.Pal,
Dr.Karuna Shankar and Dr.Kalpana Pandey. After the administration of the scale the Correlation Test was
done to analyses the data and find out the correlation between academic anxiety and general well-being in
both boys and girls. t-test was calculated to compare and find out the difference in the academic anxiety of
boys is that of girls. Thus, a sample of 20 subjects were taken (i.e. N=20) 10 boys and 10 girls adolescent
students from higher secondary school was taken to carry out the research study. The following average
scores (i.e. boys-11.2 and girls-10.8) shows that boys have more academic anxiety then girls on an average
scale and girls shows less academic anxiety. In some girls it is almost null. Thus, may cause many problems
because anxiety leads to better preparation for a future threat. Even some girls also shows the nearly zero
anxiety over the academic activity .They may be prepared but this much low anxiety can be a result of over
confidence and can may cause problems in future due to absence of stress.
 CHAPTER-4
RESULT

RESULTS SCORES
Mean of Group 1 (Girls) 37.63
Mean of Group 2 (Boys) 31.70
Standard Deviation (Girls) 1.760
Standard Deviation (Boys) 1.496
N1 30
N2 30
t-scores 0.117

As the pilot study result shows that boys having a high anxiety over academics. While in result we find that
Girls having significant lead in anxiety over academics performance. The average score of girls and boys are
37.63 & 31.70 respectively
By applying t-Test to the obtained sample of sample size 30 (each group) to find the significance in the
difference of academic anxiety in each group the t-value calculated by two different mean of each group is
came out to be 0.117 and it signifies the acceptance of the null hypothesis.
 CHAPTER-5
INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION
The statistical analyses of the data that we acquired of two groups. The mean of
girl’s academic anxiety is 37.6 which is standard average for all the girls in group
which shows a moderate anxiety comparison to their Peer boys which is 37.7
Average. The overall acceptance of null hypothesis of this research project
depends on the value of t score that signifies the difference between the mean
of two groups which may be related in certain feature. If the value of a test lies
between -2 to + 2 then it signifies the acceptance null hypothesis and in our
case it is there would be no significance difference in in academic anxiety of
male and female students of higher secondary level. Academic anxiety for a
student is well established and significant predictor of academic performance.
Student with high level of academic anxiety unable perform their fullest and it
does not depend on any specific gender. The purpose of this study was to
overcome the erroneous assumption that girls tend to have more academic
anxiety and it helps them to perform better in academic in comparison to the
boys. Which quite unacceptable as it is concluded by the result that there is no
such thing. 2016 research on gender difference in test anxiety and their impact
on higher education student academic achievement done by Maria Isabel and
others. The result shows that on an average girl show higher academic anxiety
but they are not lower or superior in comparison to the boys of same level in
academic performance.
A moderate amount of anxiety helps academic performance by creating
motivation. It has four component that is worry, emotionality, task generate
interference and study skill deficit. presence of these components may help in
better academic anxiety but having lot of it like worry prevent you from focusing
on successfully completing academic work as like worry, emotionality comes
with biological symptoms like fast Heartbeat coma muscle tension and sweaty
Palms. deficit also increases someone's anxiety it include taking that notes
during class and panicking over it in exam preparation writing bad handwriting
in last moment of test and over not knowing the answer of the questions given
in the test.
Academic anxiety can have a negative effect on a student's academic
performance. Teachers and parents can learn to recognize the signs of anxiety
in school students. If teachers and parents help students to learn to control
anxiety early, more serious academic problems related to anxiety can be
avoided. Anxiety can become more detrimental over time. If academic anxiety is
identified on time it helps to improve the performance of students so it
necessary to know more about academic anxiety.
From the above interpretation it has been found that, there is no significant
mean difference of Academic anxiety among Boys and Girls Students of Class-IX
Students of Secondary School. But significant mean difference is found among
class-IX Students of Secondary School
1. Develop strong academic skill to improve academic achievement as test
anxiety is frequently caused by poor preparation.
2. If students feel fear from test then there is used to inculcate different skills
like relaxation, visualization, self-talk, etc. and that help to reduce their
academic anxiety.
3. Use self-talk positive statement test, when student feel anxiety from
academic activities. It helps students to replace their negativity toward
academic activities.
4. If students feel academic anxiety teacher need to expand fears and realized
them their fears are unrealistic.
5. Always visualized when students anxious feel teacher should have done
academic work from student’s hand.
6. Teacher should remember the goal not to avoid anxiety to manage anxiety
that hinders the students’ academic performance.
There are many factors which are responsible in provoking academic anxiety like
personal, familial, social and institutional. Personal factors include emotional
disorders, health disorders, maladjustment, low self-concept, low aspiration
level, intelligence levels etc. (Kaur 1991, Verma 1992, Dagur 1988, Gupta 1992,
Joshi 1988, Thilagavathi 1990). Familial factors include low socio economic
status, lack of guidance, indifferent attitude of parents and other family
problems (Gautam 2011, Sabapathy 1986, Vandana 1988, Barinder 1985, Yadav
1989). Social factors include irrational norms imposed on someone, castiesm,
unequal distribution of resources, illiterate locality.
 CHAPTER-6
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
In present education system, academic achievement is the students'
performance in School, measured by grade reports, teachers' observation and
self-perception. It is outcome of the education and determine the level to which
a student or institution can achieve their educational goals. Academic
achievement indicates the knowledge and skill of a student acquire in school
subjects. Crow and Crow (1969) define academic achievement by the quantity
to which a learner is profiting from instruction in a given learning area.
Anxiety is not a bad thing. It is true that a high level of anxiety interferes with
concentration and memory, which are critical for academic success. Without
any anxiety, however, most of us would lack the motivation to study for exams,
write papers, or do daily homework (especially in classes we find boring). A
moderate amount of anxiety actually helps academic performance by creating
motivation. Academic anxiety has four components – worry, emotionality, task-
generated interference, and study skills deficits. The method of reducing your
anxiety depends upon which of these you are experiencing. Read the following
descriptions and identify which of these are causing you problems:
1. Worry: Thoughts that prevent you from focusing on and successfully
completing academic work. For example, predictions of failure, self-degrading
thoughts, or preoccupation with the consequences of doing poorly. Some
effective techniques for managing this component include: using positive
mental imagery, disputing negative and self-defeating thoughts with more
productive, realistic thoughts, and self-hypnosis.
2. Emotionality: Biological symptoms of anxiety. For example, fast heart-beat,
sweaty palms, muscle tension. The most effective strategies for dealing with
emotionality are muscle and breathing relaxation exercises.
3. Task-generated interference: Behaviors related to the task at hand, but which
are unproductive and prevent successful performance. For example, constantly
checking the clock during an exam, or spending a lot of time on a test question
you cannot answer. Since these behaviors can take on many forms, the best
management technique is to work with a study skills instructor or a counselor to
identify the specific behaviors that cause problems and create a plan to reduce
or change them.
4. Study skills deficits: Problems with your current study methods which create
anxiety. For example, last-minute cramming resulting in not knowing answers to
test questions or poor note-taking during lecture resulting in confusion about a
major assignment. Many students experience the first three components of
academic anxiety as a result of study skills deficits. If this is the case, then your
grades will not improve unless study skills are addressed. A study skills
instructor can help you with this.
This may seem like a strange question, but if your anxiety level is too low you
may be experiencing the same low level of academic performance as a student
with an excessively high anxiety level (see the graph on the previous page). If
you find yourself falling weeks behind on your homework, spending little or no
time preparing for exams, and failing to turn in assignments, while not feeling
particularly motivated to change, you may be suffering from too little anxiety. If
this is the case, the best strategy is to figure out how your performance on daily
coursework is related to the goals you have that you care the most about. One
useful method for doing this is seeking career counseling.
 APPENDIX 1
MEAN SCORES
S.N BOYS GIRLS
1. 28 26
2. 40 44
3. 38 52
4. 30 41
5. 35 28
6 32 46
7. 24 27
8. 32 48
9. 15 55
10. 15 30
11. 28 38
12. 42 42
13. 36 25
14. 22 26
15. 32 26
16. 40 52
17. 38 22
18. 57 32
19. 24 40
20. 32 24
21. 44 28
22. 35 24
23. 42 48
24. 22 40
25. 58 32
26. 37 32
27. 33 46
28. 13 52
29. 11 48
30. 16 54
Σ 951 Σ 1128

Boys mean score= 951\30

= 31.7
Girls mean score= 1128\30
= 37.6
 APPENDIX 2
BOY’S SCORE TABLE
S.N. SCORES (x-μ)=x x2
1. 28 -3.7 -13.69
2. 40 8.3 68.89
3. 38 6.3 43.56
4. 30 -1.7 -2.89
5. 35 3.3 10.89
6. 32 0.3 0.09
7. 24 -7.7 -59.29
8. 32 0.3 0.09
9. 15 -16.7 -278.89
10. 15 -16.7 -278.89
11. 28 -3.7 -13.69
12. 42 10.3 106.09
13. 36 4.3 18.49
14. 22 -9.7 -94.09
15. 32 0.3 0.09
16. 40 8.3 68.89
17. 38 6.3 39.69
18. 57 25.3 640.09
19. 24 -7.7 -59.29
20. 32 0.3 0.09
21. 44 12.3 151.29
22. 35 3.3 10.89
23. 42 10.3 106.09
24. 22 -9.7 -94.09
25. 58 26.3 691.69
26. 37 5.3 28.09
27. 33 1.3 1.69
28. 13 -18.7 -349.69
29. 11 -20.7 -428.49
30. 16 -15.7 -246.49
Σ =67.27

BSD =
N

= 1.496
where,
x2 = Deviation of each scores from the mean.
N = Total no. Of scores.
 APPENDIX 3
Girls score table
S.N. SCORES (x-μ)=x x2
1. 26 -11.6 -134.56
2. 44 6.4 40.96
3. 52 14.4 207.36
4. 41 3.4 11.56
5. 28 -9.6 -92.16
6. 46 8.4 70.56
7. 27 -10.6 -112.36
8. 48 10.4 108.16
9. 55 17.4 302.76
10. 30 -7.6 -57.76
11. 38 0.4 0.16
12. 42 4.4 19.36
13. 25 -12.6 -158.76
14. 26 -11.6 -134.56
15. 26 -11.6 207.36
16. 52 14.4 -243.36
17. 22 -15.6 -243.36
18. 32 -15.6 -243.36
19. 40 2.4 5.76
20. 24 -13.6 -184.96
21. 28 -9.6 -92.16
22. 24 -13.6 -184.96
23. 48 10.4 108.16
24. 40 2.4 8.76
25. 32 -5.6 -31.36
26. 32 -5.6 -31.36
27. 46 8.4 70.56
28. 52 14.4 207.36
29. 48 10.4 108.16
30. 54 16.4 268.96

GSD =
N

= 1.76
where,
x2 = Deviation of each scores from the mean.
N = Total no. Of scores.
 APPENDIX 4
T- score table
S.N X Y (X-Y) (X-Y)2
1. 11 22 -11 -121
2. 13 24 -11 -121
3. 15 24 -9 -81
4. 15 25 -10 -100
5. 16 26 -10 -100
6 22 26 -4 -16
7. 22 26 -4 -16
8. 24 27 -3 -9
9. 24 28 -4 -16
10. 28 28 0 -
11. 28 30 -2 -4
12. 30 32 2 -4
13. 32 32 0 -
14. 32 32 0 -
15. 32 38 -6 -36
16. 32 40 -8 -64
17. 33 40 -7 -49
18. 35 41 -6 -36
19. 35 42 -7 -49
20. 36 44 -8 -64
21. 37 46 -9 -81
22. 38 46 -8 -64
23. 38 48 -10 -100
24. 40 48 -8 -64
25. 40 48 -8 -64
26. 42 52 -10 -100
27. 42 52 -10 -100
28. 44 52 -8 -64
29. 57 54 3 9
30. 58 55 3 9
Σ = -177 Σ = 1477

Where,
X= scores of Boys
Y= scores of Girls

Formula- (Σ D)/N
t=
= 0.117
Table1.4
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Boston:Longman.
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webster com/dictionary/anxiety.
 Huberty, T.J. 2012. Test and performance anxiety. Principal Leadership, 10: 12-16. Retrieved from
http:// www. Nasponline. Org/Jon, G. 2012. Identifying and Treating Anxiety in School-aged
Children, Carlos Albizu University, New York.
 Gender Differences in Terms of Test Anxiety and Attitude towards Science International Journal of
Educational Science and Research (IJESR), volume 3, issue 1, p. 133 – 138 Posted: 2013-04 A K Attri,
Neelam
 Academic Anxiety and Academic Achievement of Secondary School Students -A Study on Gender
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