PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF ANXIETY AND EMOTION AS CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE ATHLETES AT KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0     Background of the Study

Stress is a necessary and unavoidable concomitant of our lives because without some stress we would be listless and apathetic creatures, and it also relates to any external event, be it pleasurable or anxiety-producing. Stress is a valuable academic institution when managed properly will lead to a positive outcome in the performance of students.

A person’s response to stress depends on whether an event is appraised as a challenge or a threat (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). The challenging stimuli can lead to positive outcomes such as motivation and improved task performance while threatening ones or distress can result in anxiety, depression, social dysfunction, and even suicidal intention. Along with the improvements during the scientific era and the rapid development of information, competitiveness among people has become increasingly intense, as a consequence, people have become busier and, therefore, stress is a natural consequence.

 

Even though appropriate stress is a juncture for self-growth, it is also a motivation for people to progress actively. It not only affects our thoughts and feelings but our behavioral models, as well. However, overstress causes problems and discomfort, and can have serious effects on people. Specifically, student faces stress when they enter a completely new world of professional education. Stress has become an important topic in academic circles. Many scholars in the field of behavioral science have carried out extensive research on stress and its outcomes and concluded that the topic needed more attention (Agolla, 2009). Stress in academic institutions can have both positive and negative consequences if not well managed (Stevenson & Harper, 2006).

Academic institutions have different work settings compared to nonacademics and therefore one would expect the difference in symptoms, causes, and consequences of stress (Chang & Lu, 2007). It is important to society that students should learn and acquire the necessary knowledge and skills that will in turn make them contribute positively to the development of the general economy of any nation. The institutions need to maintain a well-balanced academic environment conducive to better learning, with a focus on the student’s personal needs.

 

1.1     Problem Statement

Academic behavior is something of great importance to parents, teachers, and students themselves. Students have different expectations, goals, and values that they want to fulfill, which is only possible if the students’ expectations, goals, and values are integrated with that of the institution (Goodman, 1993).

 

Even the larger society is aware of the long-term effects of positive or negative academic behavior since graduates from educational institutions are expected to shape the destiny of society (Salami, 2001) cited in Kumari & Garcia (2012). Unfortunately, the academic behavior of students in senior high school is becoming worrisome and this has remained a matter of grave concern to many educationists (Aremu, 2001). These students have many obstacles to overcome to achieve their optimal academic performance (Womble, 2003). It takes a lot more than just studying or learning to achieve a successful career.

 

Stress is a common problem for male and female students in schools and the way it is managed may reflect in their academic performance (Salami, 2001).  The effects of stress can be positive or negative. Positively used, stress can be a motivator for an improved quality of life. Stress can be negative when it becomes destructive as a result of how an individual negatively perceived and reacted to it (Blonna, 2005). Could it be that the level of stress being experienced by senior secondary school students has born on the reported negative trend in their academic performance? Several studies have found a relationship between stress and poor academic performance (Clark & Rieker, 1986; Linn & Zeppa, 1984, Struthers, Perry & Menec, 2000). Bell (1995), Dubois & Fellner (1992), and Ganesan (1995) have found that stress made a significant contribution to the poor school performance of adolescents. Feldstein & Wilcox (1992) found a significant negative correlation between the stress levels of college students and their academic performance.

 

In a similar study, Blumberg & Flaherty (1985) found an inverse relationship between self-reported stress level and academic performance. Malik & Balda (2006) also found a negative correlation between stress and academic achievement. Stress pervades the life of students, and tends to impact adversely their mental and physical health, and their ability to perform schoolwork effectively (Clark & Rieker, 1986; Felsten & Wilcox, 1992). Mostly it is found that Students with more stressed behavior show average or poor results in academic achievement. Their concentration never works properly in the educational field (Signal, 1998).

 

Though most of the research findings support the negative relationship between stress and academic achievement, few researchers conclude against them. Bankston & Zhou (2000) reported a significant positive relationship between stress and the academic performance of college students. Kaplan & Sadock (2000) reported that an optimal level of stress can enhance learning ability. Below, Brown, Dowling & Torres (2009) stated that a state of emotional stress was reported to have a significant positive relationship with reported school performance. Thus stress is a motivation for students to progress actively.

 

1.2     The Purpose of the Study

Learning and memory can be affected by stress. Although an optimal level of stress can enhance learning ability (Kaplan & Sadock, 2000), too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems or psychological distress (Campbell & Stevenson, 1992; Carver & Scheier, 1994), reduce self-esteem (Bressler &Bressler,2007) and may affect the academic achievement of students (Hofer, 2007; Choi et al, 2007).

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of pressure (stress) on students in senior high schools to perform well in their academic life. Senior high school students are under significant pressure to do well in internal examinations (terminal exams) and also to meet the demands of the various tertiary institutions in Nigeria through the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

1.3     Specific Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives of the study are

• To compare the stress levels of male and female senior high school students.
• To compare the academic achievements of male and female senior high school students.
• To compare the academic achievements of students having less, moderate, and high stress.

 

1.4     Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were tested in the study:

• There exists no significant difference in the stress levels of male and female senior high school students.
• There exists no significant difference in the academic performance of male and female senior high school students.
• There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students having high, moderate, and less stress.

 

1.5     Research Questions

• Does stress affect students’ working ability?
• Does stress affect students’ academic performance?
• Do the differences in learning methods and teachers’ teaching methods, in addition to the assignments, tests, and course selection, cause academic stress in students?

 

1.6     Significance of the Study

Although the respondents in this study were all public school students from Kwara State University, the findings of this study have importance and relevance to all senior high schools. This may be particularly the case for students in schools that require high academic performance. The stress that academic performance and academic testing place on senior high school students often appears to negatively affect their performance. Most females are “perfectionists’ so they are more likely to experience higher levels of stress due to their diligence and devotion to their school work. Schools, teachers, and parents need to be aware of these negative effects and begin to understand the stress placed on high school students by pressure to excel in senior high schools. It is important to develop ways in which the school system can relieve its students from stress and test anxiety by coming up with alternative programs or projects. By reducing the stress caused by high academic performance requirements and high-stakes tests, the students are likely to increase their academic performances and students will not be under unnecessary pressure.

1.7     Delimitation

The scope of this study will be confined to finding the effect of pressure on the academic performance of second-year biology students (science students) at Kwara State University.

1.8     Limitation

The following are the limitations experienced by the researcher

• The lukewarm attitude of students towards exercises, tests, and assignments.
• Lack of collaborative discussion among students
• Students complain of much pressure from the teachers to perform well

1.9     Operational Definition of Terms

Depression: a condition in which somebody feels sad or hopeless

Dysfunction: a disturbance in the usual pattern of activity or behavior

Educationist: an expert in the theories or administration of education

Hyperventilation: a condition in which extremely rapid and deep breathing in response to anxiety can lead to muscle spasms and fainting from excessive carbon dioxide depletion

Intimacy: a close personal relationship

Masculinity: the state of being a man or a boy

Meta-analysis: a method designed to increase the reliability of research by combining and analyzing the results of all known trials of the same product or experiments on the same subject

More: established customs and habitual practices that a group of people accepts and follow, especially as they reflect moral standards

Obstacle: somebody or something that hinders or prevents progress

Palpitation: an irregular or unusually rapid beating of the heart, either because of a medical condition or because of exertion, fear, or anxiety

Pressure: to apply great persuasion or a strong influence on somebody to force him or her to do something or something that powerfully affects thoughts and behavior, usually in the form of several outside influences working together persuasively

Psychology: the characteristic temperament and associated behavior of a person or group, or that exhibited by those engaged in an activity

Scholar: a learned person, especially an academic specialist in one area of knowledge

Self-esteem: confidence in your merit as a person

Senior high school students: those who are receiving their +2 education from senior high schools

Stress: a state of psychological arousal that results when external demands tax or exceed a person’s adaptive abilities.

Stressor: a chemical or biological agent, environmental condition, external stimulus, or event that causes stress to an organism

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