EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES, COPING STRATEGIES ON TEST ANXIETY AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UNDERGRADUATE DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS IN THE NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

Clifford Moses Amini; Justinah N Reamen

EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES, COPING STRATEGIES ON TEST ANXIETY AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UNDERGRADUATE DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS IN THE NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

Clifford Moses Amini, Justinah N Reamen

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing the association of test anxiety and academic performance with study skills, coping strategies (mechanism) self-concept, self-esteem, psychological distress and social support among undergraduate distance learners of the National Open University of Nigeria. A series of validated measures were administered on 440 distance learning students in 5 study centres of the university, comprising of 305 females and 135 males. Social support was found to be a protective cover for test anxiety. Better study skills, self-concept, psychological distress were indicative of higher test anxiety, and with higher level of students’ success. Higher level of self-esteem was also associated with higher students’ success. The implications of the results were also discussed.

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