Keyword: gender difference

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to investigate the anxiety levels of eighth-grade students in Nevşehir province during the high school entrance exam year and to assess the correlation between these anxiety levels and demographic factors such as gender, sibling count, parental education, and socioeconomic status. A correlational survey design was employed with a sample of 157 eighth-grade students. Data were collected using the Westside Test Anxiety Scale and a Demographic Information Form and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation tests, descriptive statistics, and SPSS version 27. The scale’s dependability coefficient was determined to be 𝛼 = 0.904. According to the studies, there were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the test anxiety levels of the students and demographic factors such as the number of siblings, parental education, and economic status. However, gender was positively and significantly associated with test anxiety, with female students exhibiting higher anxiety levels than male students (r = 0.350, p < 0.01). These results demonstrate that while most demographic variables do not predict exam anxiety, gender remains a critical factor. The study underscores the urgent need for schools and policymakers to design and implement gender-sensitive counseling programs and prevention strategies that specifically target the heightened vulnerability of female students to exam-related stress. By highlighting regional patterns in Nevşehir and integrating classical anxiety theories with contemporary educational practice, this study offers evidence-based guidance for shaping more equitable and supportive school-based mental health policies.

ABSTRACT: Tests or examinations are an essential part of education, creating test anxiety among students. Several studies identified a negative correlation between test anxiety and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students’ academic performance in higher education, and female students in STEM subjects showed more test anxiety before and during an examination. Studies also identified that STEM students could pay less attention to their examinations due to test anxiety. Such evidence in the context of Bangladeshi universities is yet to be understood. This study investigated the level of test anxiety among Bangladeshi university students of STEM subjects, including gender differences and the relationship between test anxiety and academic performance. We considered the quantitative research design to understand the status of test anxiety among undergraduate STEM students. A survey was conducted online from two STEM departments of a private university in Bangladesh using the shorter version of the CAEX test anxiety instrument, and a total of 246 undergraduate students participated. The findings show that Bangladeshi undergraduate STEM students generally felt slight anxiety during or before the examination. Female students were more anxious before or during a test than male students, and no significant relationship was found between test anxiety and academic achievement. The study reflects the need to conduct further research to understand the physiological, cognitive, and psychological factors leading to test anxiety among university students, as well as establishes a demand to identify the reasons behind having no relationship between test anxiety and students’ academic performance.