EFFECT OF TEST ANXIETY ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Background: Anxiety negatively affects the physical and mental health of the individual and ultimately personal, social, occupational and educational performance is badly affected. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of test anxiety on academic achievement of university students and explore the gender differences in effect of test anxiety on academic achievement of university students. Methods: Cross-sectional research design was used to conduct this study. The data was collected from District Haripur, from March to May 2017. A sample of 360 students was randomly selected from semester 4 to 8 of BS classes by stratified random sampling technique in order to have equal representation of students from each group. The data measuring test anxiety was thus collected using Nist and Diehl questionnaire for measuring test anxiety. The collected data was analyzed by using mean, standard deviation, t-test and multiple regression model. Results: The results of the study indicated that there is on the average moderate level (2.50±0.63) of test anxiety among university students.  On the whole test anxiety has significant negative (β= -0.02, F= 9.37, α= 0.00) effect on academic achievement of university students. Test anxiety significantly has negative (β= -0.18, F= 8.6, α= 0.00) impact on academic achievement of male students as compared to female students at university level. Conclusions: University students experience moderate level of test anxiety. The test anxiety decrease academic achievement of university students. Male students’ academic achievement is profoundly hindered.