Academic Achievements of In-School Adolescents with Anxiety in Ilesa, Southwest, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30442/ahr.110206-282Keywords:
Academic achievements, Academic Performance Questionnaire, Adolescents, Anxiety, GAD-7.Abstract
Background: Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses in adolescents that can interfere with cognition and performance.
Objectives: To determine the relationship between anxiety and academic achievement among in-school adolescents.
Methods: Three hundred and two adolescents aged 10-19 years were recruited from twelve secondary schools in Ilesa, Nigeria. The adolescents completed the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) to screen them for anxiety. The continuous assessment (CA) grades were obtained for the 20222/2023 session from school records, and academic performance questionnaires were also used to evaluate their academic performance.
Results: None of the 84 non-anxious adolescents achieved a score of 80-100% on the APQ, while approximately a quarter (25.25%) of the 218 anxious adolescents scored between 80-100%. All 84 anxious adolescents scored between 0% and 79%, while about three-quarters (74.8%) of the 218 adolescents without anxiety scored between 0% and 79%. The Academic achievement of the adolescents with anxiety was significantly different from those without anxiety (Χ2=61.972, p=0.001). None of the 84 adolescents with anxiety had good CA scores, while about a quarter (25.2%) of the 218 adolescents without anxiety had good CA scores. The CA score of adolescents with anxiety was statistically significantly different compared with non-anxious adolescents (Χ2=26.016, p=0.001).
Conclusion: Secondary school adolescents with anxiety had poor academic achievement in the setting studied. Parents, school authorities, and the relevant government agencies should pay more attention to strategising and improving their performance in schools.
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