Effect of test anxiety on academic achievement of adolescents in educational practices

Abstract

The present study aims at examining the relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement, and determining the effect of gender variables, and academic specialization (sciences/Letters) at the level of test anxiety and academic achievement, among adolescents in educational practices. The sample was based on the convenience sampling, 114 pupils from the upper secondary education in Morocco (between the ages of 16 and 17 years, 57.02% of them were sciences students and 42.98% were Letters students). They all passed the Sarason test anxiety scale, which was the research instrument, and analyze data, and the first continuous assessment scores was used as an indicator of the academic performance of the sample. The results of this study confirmed a statistically significant correlation between test anxiety and academic achievement, with statistically significant differences at the level of test anxiety due to the gender variable, with no differences recorded at the level of academic achievement, and the absence of differences at the level of test anxiety and the level of academic achievement due to the academic specialization (sciences/Letters). Given the negative effects of text anxiety on learner’s academic achievement, finding solutions to overcome test anxiety proves to be a pedagogical requirement.