DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AND ACADEMIC ANXIETY AMONG FILIPINO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AND ACADEMIC ANXIETY AMONG FILIPINO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS JAYVEE C. CEBU, RPM, CHRA Instructor 5, Psychology Department World Citi Colleges Consultant/Psychometrician SMLFC Consultancy and Development Center Corresponding Author: FRANCIS F. PANTALITA, LPT Instructor, SHS Department Technological Institute of the Philippines Professional Lecturer 3, College of Arts and Sciences National University, Fairview https://doi.org/10.37602/IJSSMR.2022.6103 ABSTRACT Academic anxiety has been considered one of the leading causes of disease and disability among senior high school students (Zhang et al., 2020). It refers to the feelings of worry, tension, and dread related to academic settings or tasks. This includes exams, assignments, the subject itself, and even the social pressures they experience in completing schoolwork, or uneasiness with the idea of studying or working in a group in a classroom setting. This study determined the significant difference between demographic factors and academic anxiety among Filipino senior high school students; these demographic factors include age, gender, and grade level. The demographic factors were determined through a survey while the levels of academic anxiety were measured through the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) to 270 respondents. Using mean and standard deviation for demographic factors, results showed that 15- 17 years old and 18- 20 years old reported moderate levels of academic anxiety while 2122 years old experienced low levels of academic anxiety. Moreover, in terms of the respondent’s gender and grade level, results showed moderate levels of academic anxiety. The level of academic anxiety of the respondents measured by AAS revealed that the majority of them, which consist of 89 (32.96%) reported moderate levels of academic anxiety followed by 83 (30.74%) reported high levels of academic anxiety. Statistical analysis using F-test and t-test revealed that there are significant differences in the demographic factors and academic anxiety among Filipino senior high school students garnering computed p-values of the following: age- 0.003, gender- 0.001, and grade level- 0.016. This means that there are significant differences among the demographic factors of the respondents and the level of their academic anxiety. The results called for senior high school students, parents, teachers, school personnel, and mental health practitioners in providing a community of psychologically healthy environment in school and other areas of life. Keywords: Academic anxiety, demographic factors, Filipino, senior high school students Chapter 1 www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 40 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 1.0 THE PROBLEM AND ITS CONTEXT 1.1 Introduction The students in high school are becoming more susceptible to social and psychological disturbance because of the developmental demands and academic obligations in school (Alfoukha et al., 2019) and one common mental condition observed in all age groups of high school students is anxiety. These students in high school and senior high school usually on its adolescent stage ages from 10 to 19 years old wherein students are vulnerable to enormous developmental changes which affects their psychological well-being (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; WHO, 2017). According to research findings by Cao and colleagues (2020), senior high school students have higher stress levels, which makes them more vulnerable to psychological issues like anxiety. Anxiety is the ninth leading cause of illness and diseases among senior high school students (Zhang et al., 2020) and it has a lot of possible external factors why people experience anxiety such as stress from work, from personal relationship and from school. This factors greatly affects their academic performance which resorts them to experience a great deal of academic anxiety. Academic anxiety is considered as one of the factors that determine of academic achievement and performance of students in school which may cause a serious problem to them if not treated. High levels of anxiety prevent students from performing to the best of their abilities (Mirawdali et a., 2018). A feeling of worry, tension, or dread related to academic situations or tasks, such as exams, assignments, the subject itself, social pressures students experience to complete schoolwork, or unease with the idea of studying or working in a group in a classroom setting, is described as academic anxiety by the Academic Anxiety Resource Center. Academic anxiety can be broken down into four distinct subtypes: physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and social (Rincon, 2021). Physiological symptoms refer to physical symptoms of anxiety in the body which cause an anxiety provoking situation that triggers fear and nervousness such as nausea, an elevated heart rate, fidgeting, experienced of headaches, shortness of breath, nervous sweating and muscle tension that interferes the ability of the students to focus and unable to calm these reactions. Furthermore, including unhelpful thoughts that can interfere academic performance of the students are the cognitive symptoms of increase anxiety in their academics such as intrusive thoughts about his or her ability, inability to maintain attention, having trouble in retrieving information from memory and negative self- talk. The students' study habits of avoiding or procrastinating, intentionally putting in little effort at school, and giving up are all behavioral symptoms of academic anxiety. Academic anxiety's social symptoms include being afraid of negative comments or reactions from peers, friends, teachers, and acquaintances (Rincon, 2021). Moreover, academic anxiety has greatly affected differently across age, gender and grade level among students while considering other demographic factors. Research findings reveal various results; age and gender have significantly different with respect to academic anxiety (Bhansali & Trivedi, 2017) and not significantly different to academic anxiety (Azeem, 2018). Furthermore, Njue & Anand (2018) explain that a decrease in academic anxiety will result in an increase in students' academic achievement, performance, and overall well-being. www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 41 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 Academic anxiety is also linked to academic achievement, performance, and general wellbeing in the school setting. Senior high school students in their adolescent stage of life (ages 10 to 19 years old) and academic anxiety are considered a prevalent problem experience by the students in school. Moreover, the research is aiming to determine the significant differences between the demographic factors and the levels of academic anxiety of the Filipino senior high school students. 1.2 Research Objectives The study is focus on determining the differences in the demographic factors and academic anxiety among Filipino high school students from senior high school. It seeks to answer the following objectives: 1. To know the demographic factors of the respondents 2. To know the level of academic anxiety of the respondents. 3. To know the significant differences between the demographic factors and levels of academic anxiety among the respondents. 4. Statement of the Problem The study aimed to determine the differences between demographic factors and academic anxiety among the senior high school students. To be specific, it seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: Age Gender Grade level 2. What is the academic anxiety level among the respondents? 3. Is there a statistically significant difference between the demographics and academic anxiety among the respondents? 1.3 Hypothesis The hypothesis below served as guide of the researchers in pursuing the inquiry: 1. The study reveals no statistically significant difference between the demographics and levels of academic anxiety among Filipino students from senior high school. www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 42 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 1.4 Significance of the Study Considering that the research is aiming on determining the statistical difference between demographics and academic anxiety level among the respondents, thus, study made it timelier and relevant to address these circumstances in the school settings. In adherence to the purpose of the said study, the following beneficiaries are as follows: 1. Students from senior high school- they are the main benefactor from this study because they will understand the underlying reasons of their academic anxiety which eventually lead them to have a coping strategy to combat this anxiety in their respective schools. 2. Teachers- the teachers will be able to gain a clear insight about academic anxieties of their students and by that, they will utilize other forms of teaching strategies they think will help students to cope with their anxieties in the school. 3. Parents- for its specific purpose of giving a better understanding about their perceptions about academic anxiety experienced by their sons and daughters and with that, they will be able to recognize that this is also a serious problem on the part of the students that needs to be addressed. 4. Counselors at schools- counselors at schools will learn more about what students are going through in school. They will be able to develop a plan for the students' intervention as a result of this. 5. Future researchers- this study will impart a foundation for future researchers who wish to investigate the demographics and academic anxiety of Filipino students from senior high school. 1.5 Scope and the Limitations of the Study The primary objective of the study is to determine whether the demographics of Filipino senior high school students significantly affect their academic anxiety level. The study's respondents were 270 students from senior high school various educational institutions in the Philippines, including students in grades 11 and 12. The study will not examine any other aspects of the student's academic anxiety because its primary focus is on determining their level of anxiety. The study's focus on demographics is age, gender, and grade level; other aspects related to this are not included. The researcher used a simple random sampling technique and a quantitative research approach because the study's goal was to know the differences between these variables. The researcher used a standardized test like Dr. Jerelle Cassady's Academic Anxiety Scale to collect data. 1.6 Conceptual Framework www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 43 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 The framework that serves as one of the study's foundations is as follows, based on the researcher's presumptions regarding the subject: The above paradigm shows the differences between the demographic factors such as the age, gender, and grade level to the academic anxiety level of the Filipino senior high school students. 1.7 Theoretical Framework Spielberger's Anxiety Trait State Theory was used to discuss the nature of anxiety in the school setting. for the purpose of further discussions of the following concepts and improving comprehension of the research. 1.8 Spielberger’s Anxiety Trait State Theory According to Spielberger's trait-state anxiety theory, a person with high trait anxiety is more likely to perceive ego-anxiety-inducing circumstances as a threat, and as a result, they are expected to react with high levels of anxiety (Man et al.). al, 2019). The following factors can be used to gauge this level of anxiety: mental nervousness, substantial tension, fearlessness, and mental impedance as indicated by Spielberger's hypothesis, there are two kinds of uneasiness state and quality tension. "State anxiety" refers to the subjective awareness of a perceived sense of great tension, apprehension, and heightened autonomic nervous system activity, which can vary in nature. On the other hand, trait anxiety is a trait that is thought to be relatively stable and reflects a person's general tendency to respond to anxiety by recognizing threats in an anxiety-inducing environment. In addition, the perceived adversity of the situation increases with trait anxiety and vice versa. In addition, a person who experiences an elevated trait anxiety is more vulnerable to experience a great deal of state anxiety because the person feels threatened regardless of the actual danger. When an existing danger is not or is less perceived as threatening to individuals, state anxiety should be lower in situations that are neither stressful nor that cause anxiety. The researcher in this study used the theory to explain how students' academic anxiety may be influenced by "trait" and "state." The individual's response and actions when dealing with academic anxiety are influenced by the underlying trait and predisposition to anxiety situations. 1.9 Definition of Terms www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 44 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 To facilitate a better understanding of the following frequently used words in this study, all words were acquired through the definitive terms of the authors and studies. The following words are defined: Academic anxiety- is a feeling of worry, tension, or dread about academic situations or tasks like exams, assignments, the subject itself, the social pressures they face to finish schoolwork, or being uncomfortable with the idea of studying or working in a group in a classroom. Academic achievements- is referring to the accomplishments of the students in school such as completing a school task, assignments, project and passing a quiz or examinations. Demographic Factors- is referring to the age, gender and grade level of the respondents being identified. Chapter 2 2.0 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES These parts present the different writing and concentrate completely surveyed studies and incorporate by the researchers. Due to the topic's uniqueness in terms of academic anxiety, the researcher had struggled to locate studies and literature on the topic. 2.1 Age, Gender, Grade Level and Senior High School Students Ducane & Ocampo (2020) study of the senior high school participation of 16- and 17-yearold students found that those who enrolled after the senior high school program were more involved in their education. The Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) was used in the study to look at how 11th and 12th grade students are affected by senior high school programs. The findings indicate that more Filipino students are choosing to stay in senior high school for more skill and talent development and are taking advantage of different tracks. In addition, dropout rates among 16- to 17-year-old students have decreased in recent years. The rate of senior high school enrollment was found to be rising in 2016. From 2014 to 2016, enrollment increased based on gender, according to Ducanes & Ocampo (2020), but the increase was deemed to be greater for females of the same age in 2016 and 2017. The descriptive survey study conducted by Gul (2017) on the significant differences in academic anxiety experienced by males and females among a sample of 210 college students, consisting of 99 males and 111 females, reveals that the mean scores for males and females regarding their perception of classroom environments are 37.00 and 33.75, respectively. This suggests that the majority of male students experience significantly more academic anxiety than female students. Therefore, it is clear that concerning orientation (male and female) understudies experience essentially various degrees of anxiety in their academics. www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 45 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 On the other hand, a study by Alam (2018) on academic anxiety, which is a predictor of secondary school students' academic achievement, shows that academic achievement has an inverse relatinshipf with academic anxiety. The Academic Anxiety Scale for Children (AASC) had been administered to a sample of 300 10th-grade students, with 150 male and 150 female participants. The findings indicate that, while the mean scores for academic achievement and academic achievement are 10.19 and 2.53, the mean scores for boys and girls in secondary school students' academic achievement and academic anxiety are 8.31 and 2.43, respectively. As a result, this suggests that young women are more scholastically restless than young men. Essentially, a similar report on "is scholastic uneasiness orientation explicit?" Comparing the prevalence of academic anxiety in boys and girls among 16- to 18-year- olds revealed that girls experience academic anxiety more frequently and more intensely than boys do. It focuses on determining gender differences in the frequency and severity of adolescents' academic anxiety. The Self-Constructed Adolescent Problem Inventory, which was piloted and tested to ensure its validity, was administered to a sample of 240 students from various high schools in Jodhpur City, including 120 boys and girls, through incidental purposive sampling. The results show significant gender differences (Bhansali & Trivedi, 2017). In addition, a study by Sharma & Shakil (2020) on senior students from secondary schools and the relationship between academic performance and academic anxiety reveals that the level of academic anxiety experienced by these 355 seniors varies significantly by location. Additionally, the degree of school-related academic anxiety experienced by these senior secondary school students varied significantly. The purpose of the study by Azeem (2018) on the relationship between academic achievement and academic anxiety in relation to gender and religion among secondary school students is to ascertain this relationship. 340 secondary school students were given a standardized test. At 0.05 significance level, the tabulated “t” value was 1.97, and the computed t-value was 0.903, which was higher than the expected value. This shows that there is no huge distinction among male and female scholarly uneasiness. There is no significant relationship between gender and academic anxiety, according to Baro & Mishra's (2022) investigation into the relationship between the socioeconomic status of adolescent students and their academic anxiety level. The Academic Anxiety Scale and the Socio-Economic Scale were the instruments or tools used to measure the variables. The computed t-value was 1.81, which did not reach the confidence interval's 0.05 significant level or the critical value of 1.96. The study's null hypothesis was therefore accepted. Additionally, a study conducted by Dr. Mohd Siddiqui and Dr. Atieq Rehnan on 90 secondary school students in the Aizawl District who were administered the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS- Samrua) found no significant gender, class, or location differences among the participants (Dawngliani, M.S., Fanai, L., & Vanlaltanpui). 2.2 Academic Anxiety and Senior High School Students According to Sharma & Shakil (2020), a study of 355 senior students from secondary school and academic anxiety reveals that 18.02 percent, or 64 percent, of the population exhibits www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 46 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 high levels of academic anxiety, 62.53 percent, or 222 percent, moderate levels of academic anxiety, and 19.43 percent, or 69 respondents, exhibit lower academic anxiety level. The Academic Anxiety Scale (ASS), which the author himself developed and standardized, was used in the related research to gauge the academic anxiety level of the senior students from secondary schools. According to Hooda and Saini (2017), the outline of academic anxiety demonstrated that understudies' academic presentation is negatively impacted by academic anxiety. The article discusses the connection between academic failure and anxiety, which is strongly associated with memory and cognitive impairment, as well as students' poor school performance. In addition, it emphasized that students experience normal anxiety prior to taking an exam, that this anxiety becomes problematic when it exceeds a certain threshold, and that students experience additional anxiety due to ineffective coping and management strategies during exam preparation. This idea gets even more harmful as you get older. Furthermore, a correlational study of Cassady et. al. (2019) found that the proportions of general and academic nervousness or anxiety among 145 students at public Midwestern College are linked to the development of depression among understudies. The correlational study by Alam (2018) found that the correlations between academic anxiety and achievement across a variety of demographic profiles are inversely proportional, indicating a significant relationship. Students' ability to manage appropriate anxiety coping skills and other stress and anxiety coping strategies in similar situations that cause academic anxiety, according to the study, may be the reason why they have experienced less academic anxiety and performed better in school. In cross-sectional study that was carried out by Mirawdali et al., a sample of 132 pharmacy undergraduates enrolled at the University of Wolverhampton served as the respondents. al. (2018) on the correlation in the students' academic performance and anxiety. As per the review, academic anxiety is altogether connected with variables like test uneasiness, scholastic ability, and time usage abilities. The study found that undergraduate pharmacy students experience a significant amount of academic anxiety and specifically identified influential factors that need to be addressed in order to improve student performance. Using the Krejcie tables at a 90% efficacy level, the study's sampling method was a correlational study on self-efficacy and academic anxiety among UNY (Universitas Negeri and Yogyakarta) students. The Pearson correlation coefficient, which was found to be -0.674, indicated that these two variables were in opposition to one another: Higher self-efficacy is associated with lower academic anxiety in schools. Purwanti et al. (2019) claim that, regression analysis revealed an R-squared of 0.281, or 28.2%, indicating that academic selfefficacy reduced academic anxiety by 28.1 percent and that other factors outside of the study had an impact on 71.9 percent. Njue and Anand (2018) found that in a recent study in the students in secondary school from Rohtak, India, who were anxious about school, there was a strong correlation between academic anxiety and poor academic performance that was not fundamentally different in orientation. The study measured the two variables using the Academic Anxiety www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 47 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 Scale for Children (AASC) and the General Well-Being Measure (PGIGWM). The findings indicate that there is a negative relationship of 0.041 between tension and general prosperity in young men. This relationship was also thought to be weak; consequently, decreasing anxiety results in an increase in general prosperity, not the other way around. Academic anxiety can also be significantly impacted when individuals fail to adapt to the new environment of educational establishments and institutions where they move. In the Dewey (2018) study, 20 students reported experiencing academic anxiety. According to the study, the following underlying factors influence students' academic anxiety: 1) a history of anxiety prior to studying abroad and concerns regarding the student's language proficiency at international educational institutions. According to Shukla (2021), a study that deals with the relationship between academic anxiety and the home environment and the academic performance of 300 secondary school students from various schools found a significant negative correlation between academic achievement and academic anxiety. The Home Environment Inventory (HEI) and the Academic Anxiety Scales for Children (AASC) were used in the study, and the Pearson correlation coefficient between academic achievement and academic anxiety was -0.50, indicating that an increase in academic achievement is accompanied by a decrease in academic achievement. According to Azeem's research, students' academic performance and achievement are thought to be influenced by their level of academic anxiety. 340 secondary school students from various Aligarh schools participated in the study, which used a standardized instrument to measure anxiety and collect CGP from previous classes. It aims to determine the relationship between academic achievement and gender and religion-based differences in academic anxiety. There was no significant correlation found between Muslim and non-Muslim students' academic anxiety and achievement, nor was there any significant correlation in the male and female students' academic anxiety and achievement. In a study on academic anxiety among secondary school students, Dawngliani, M.S., Fanai, L., and Vanlaltanpuii (2021) report that students in secondary schools experience a high academic anxiety level. The study's sample consisted of 90 students from the Aizawl District for the 2020–2021 school year. 42 of the sample's students scored above average, 24 scored averages, 16 scored high, 7 scored below average, and one student had low levels of academic anxiety, according to the findings. As a result, the majority of students experience excessive academic anxiety. A survey of 150 students enrolled in the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir's Institute of Education's pre-service training program for teachers was administered with an Academic Anxiety Questionnaire. The results showed that the relationship between students' academic achievement and academic anxiety was negative, meaning that students with low academic anxiety scores performed better than those with high academic anxiety scores. Academic achievement was also significantly predicted by academic anxiety, according to the study (Nasir & Zaman, 2019). Chapter 3 www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 48 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY In terms of the various methods used to secure the study's data, this chapter covers the population of the study and its sample size, sampling methods, research instrument, data collection procedure, and statistical treatment of data. 3.1 Research Method In this manner, quantitative research method was used. A method of inquiry that addresses the inquiries "what," "when," "how much," "how many," and so on is called quantitative research. Using an appropriate statistical technique in the study, the following numeric data are shown to provide interpretations of the study. “Aliaga and Gunderson (2002) provide a thorough explanation of the quantitative research methods. "An investigation into a social problem, an explanation of phenomena through the collection of numerical data that are analyzed using mathematically based methods, such as statistics, in particular," they say. "Quantitative research is an investigation into a social problem." A mathematically and statistically based method were used by the study examined the statistically significant differences between demographics and academic anxiety level among high school students on their senior years. The research design used by the researchers to determine the demographic factors of the respondents was descriptive statistics- mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics to determine the statistical differences between the variables- t-test and F-test. 3.2 Sampling Technique and the Sample Size The total population of 270 Filipino students in grades 11 and 12 who were selected at random from a variety of colleges and universities in the Philippines that offer senior high school programs served as the basis for the selection of respondents. The estimated sample size, calculated using Slovin's formula, is 270 Filipino senior high school students in grades 11 and 12. The researcher used straightforward methods of random sampling to ensure that all senior high school students in the Metro Manila had an equal chance of being chosen as the study's respondents. 3.3 Description of the Respondents The selected respondents are Filipino senior high school students in grades 11 and 12, who attend a variety of universities and colleges in Metro Manila that offer high schools with senior years. The respondents in the study are deemed suitable are selected at random by the researcher. 3.4 Instrument Used www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 49 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 To measure the accurate academic anxiety level of the respondents, the researcher used, “Academic Anxiety Scale” (AAS) authored by Dr, Jerelle Cassady. By sending them an email, the researchers requested the author's permission to use the instrument. Fortunately, the author agreed to use the instrument with proper citation (see Appendix). An exploratory factor analysis was carried out on the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS). After factor loading, the item "My instructors seem to think I am not very smart" was the result of relatively weak item discrimination among students which resort to the removal of this item from the pool of 12 items. In accordance with the intention of the scale construction, the final version of the AAS contains 11 items. At the very least, item analyses were acceptable. Find the sum of each item that corresponds to one of the following: 1) not at all typical of me; 2) somewhat typical of me; 3) quite typical of me; or 4) very typical of me to score the test. The AAS's reliability estimates were high, with Cronbach's alpha of.90 and Guttman's split-half reliability of 0.91 for the final pool of 11- item scale. 3.5 Data Gathering Procedure Due to the pandemic conditions in the country, the researcher administered the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) online using a Google form. This is done to guarantee the respondents' and researchers' safety. The researcher requested the authors' permission via email before using the instrument, which, thankfully, was granted. Before taking the standardized test, the researcher obtained consent form from the respondents and the researchers were able to also explain the purpose of the study. A total of 270 students in grades 11 and 12 from various senior high schools in Metro Manila provided the data. 3.6 Statistical Treatment of Data The researcher used appropriate statistical tests to measure variables in order to give meaning to the findings and interpret them. The study's objective is to ascertain the significant differences between the researcher's hypothesis and the data. The researcher used the mean, standard deviation, F-test, and t-test to identify significant differences between demographic factors and respondents' academic anxiety. These differences included respondents' age, gender, and grade level as their demographic factors. Chapter 4 4.0 PRESENTATION OF DATA This chapter presents the distribution of the results and the discussions on the significant differences among variables. 1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: a. Age b. Gender www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 50 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 c. Grade level 2. What is the academic anxiety level among the respondents? 3. Is there a statistically significant difference between the demographic factors and academic anxiety among the respondents? 1. Demographic Factors of the Respondents AGE CATEGORY 15 years old to 17 years old MEAN ACADEMI C ANXIETY STANDA RD DEVIATI ON 2.6890 0.5675 MODERATE ACADEMIC ANXIETY MODERATE ACADEMIC ANXIETY 18 years old to 20 years old 2.4926 0.5425 21 years old to 22 years old 1.6970 0.6050 INTERPRETATIO N LOW ACADEMI C AXIETY Table 1 Age, mean, and standard deviation of respondents with academic anxiety are shown in the table. With a standard deviation of 0.5675 and 0.5425, respectively, the ages of 15 to 17 and 18 to 20 showed moderate levels of academic anxiety, while the ages of 21 to 22 showed low levels of academic anxiety (1.70) with a standard deviation of 0.61. According to the comparative study conducted by Bhansali and Trivedi (2017) on academic anxiety in students aged 16 to 18, there is a significant difference between academic anxiety based on gender and academic anxiety based on age. Between the ages of 16 and 18, both male and female students experience an increase in academic- related anxiety, suggesting that there are differences between ages and genders. In addition, a study by Sharma & Shakil (2020) on senior school students from secondary school, the student’s academic anxiety found that 222 of 355 students reported moderate levels of academic anxiety, indicating that the majority of respondents experience academic anxiety in moderation. Dewey et al. claim that According to al. (2018), academic anxiety is typically influenced by a number of underlying factors but having a history of previous anxiety experiences at school and home was a significant contributor to the student's academic anxiety. GENDER www.ijssmr.org MEAN ACADEMIC ANXIETY STANDAR D DEVIATIO N Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved INTERPRETATIO N Page 51 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 MALE 2.6230 0.5240 FEMALE 2.3880 0.6130 MODERAT E ACADEMI C ANXIETY MODERAT E ACADEMI C ANXIETY Table 2 With a standard deviation of 0.52 and 0.61, respectively, male (2.62) and female (2.39) respondents reported a moderate level of academic anxiety. Njue & Anand (2018)'s comparative study of academic anxiety and general well-being of students, which found that students' levels of low to moderate academic anxiety did not differ by gender, supports this conclusion. In a similar vein, a study conducted by Baro and Mishra (2022) on academic anxiety among adolescents found that there was no gender-based difference. Academic anxiety, on the other hand, was found to have a statistically significant difference in general. According to the study by Alam (2018), female students were found to have a higher level of academic anxiety than boys. As their academic performance was greatly impacted by their experience of academic anxiety, female students were found to be more anxious or to experience apprehension. GRADE LEVEL MEAN ACADEMIC ANXIETY STANDAR D DEVIATIO N Grade 11 2.4450 0.5930 Grade 12 2.5650 0.5600 INTERPRETATIO N MODERAT E ACADEMI C ANXIETY MODERAT E ACADEMI C ANXIETY Table 3 According to the table, respondents in grades 11 and 12 of the study reported moderate levels of academic anxiety, with standard deviations of 0.59 and 0.56, respectively. Similar results were found due to the study's age variable's correlation with grade level; for instance, Azeem's (2018) study on students in secondary schools found no differences in the academic anxiety level experienced by the students. Additionally, the study by Baro & Mishra (2022) www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 52 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 found that the academic anxiety level by secondary students did not differ because adolescents were found to be at the secondary level of schools. As a result, the aforementioned related studies provided support for the current secondary level study (grades 11 and 12) with comparable findings of a moderate level of academic anxiety. 2. Academic Anxiety Level among the Respondents Category N Percentage Very low academic anxiety 13 4.81% Low academic anxiety 74 27.41% Moderate academic anxiety 89 32.96% High academic anxiety 83 30.74% Very high academic anxiety 11 4.07% 270 100% Table 4 The table displays the 270 participants' academic anxiety level. 89 students, or 32.96 percent of the total, reported experiencing moderate academic anxiety. In addition, it was discovered that 74 students, or 27.41 percent, had low levels of academic anxiety while 83 students, or 30.74 percent, had high levels of academic anxiety. 11.81 students, or very low levels of academic anxiety, and 11.07 students, or 4.07 percent of the total number of students, were found to have very high levels of academic anxiety. The majority of respondents to the study by Sharma and Shakil (2020), which examined the level of academic anxiety experienced by senior secondary school students, reported having moderate levels of academic anxiety, with the majority of students reported having high levels of academic anxiety.Additionally, the majority of respondents to the study by Dawngliani, M.S., Fanai, & Vanlaltanpuii (2021) were found to have above-average levels of academic anxiety, with the remainder scoring an average level. The evidence of the preceding study, which is related to the construct being studied, is supported by the finding that senior high school students exhibit moderate levels of academic anxiety. Significant Difference between Demographics and Academic Anxiety Among the Respondents Significant Difference between Age and Academic Anxiety AGE CATEGO www.ijssmr.org N MEAN STD F-VALUE P-VALUE Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved DECISION Page 53 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 RY DEV 15 years old to 17 years old 18 years old – 20 years old 21 years old – 22 years old 210 2.6890 0.5675 57 2.4926 0.5425 3 1.6970 0.6050 6.0200 0.003 REJECT THE NULL HYPOTHESI S Table 5 There are significant age differences in academic anxiety among senior high school students, with a computed mean of 2.69 with a standard devi of 0.57 representing 210 students between the ages of 15 and 17, a computed mean of 2.49 with a SD of 0.54 representing 57 students between the ages of 18 and 20, and a computed mean of 1.70 with SD of 0.61 representing students between the ages of 21 and 22. The results of the One-Way ANOVA (F-Test) indicated that equal variances were assumed for analysis, with an F-value of 6.02 and a 0.003 p-value that is lower than the alpha level of (0.05), indicating that there is enough evidence that evince the rejection of the null hypothesis. This indicates that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that academic anxiety is significantly influenced by age. According to Bhansali & Trivedi (2017), significant age and gender-related differences in academic anxiety support the current study's findings. The fact that the respondents were between the ages of 16 and 18 indicates that gender also increases feelings of academic anxiety. This recommends that understudies who are at this age encounters an extraordinary degree of academic uneasiness or anxiety as roughly these are the ages signed up for the senior students of secondary school execution which remained to be inclined to stressor as abilities are becomingly the reason for their instructive commitment (Ducanes and Ocampo, 2020). Significant difference Between Gender and Academic Anxiety GENDER MALE FEMALE N 158 112 MEAN 2.6230 2.3880 STD DEV tVALUE PVALUE DEGRES S OF FREEDO M 3.29 0.001 214 0.5240 0.6130 DECISION REJECT THE NULL HYPOTHESI S Table 6 www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 54 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 The computed mean for male students is 2.62, with 158 students and SD of 0.52, while the computed mean for female students is 2.39, with 112 students and SD of 0.61, as shown in the table above. The computed t-value using the T-test is 3.29, and the p- value is 0.001, which is less than the alpha level (0.05), so there is enough evidence that evince the rejection of the null hypothesis. This indicates that there is sufficient evidence to suggest a significant connection between gender and academic anxiety. The consequence of the current review is upheld by the investigation of Bhansali and Trivedi (2017) on academic tension or anxiety and orientation expresses that there is tremendous distinction in orientation and scholastic uneasiness. It demonstrates that academic anxiety is more prevalent and more severe in girls; Male and female students between the ages of 16 and 18 reported experiencing these academic anxieties. In contrast, the study of academic anxiety and achievement among secondary school students by Azeem (2018) reveals that there is no significant gender difference in academic anxiety. Significant Difference Between Grade Level and Academic Anxiety GENDER GRAD E11 GRAD E12 N MEAN STD DEV 89 2.4450 0.5930 181 2.5650 0.5600 tVALUE PVALUE -1.58 0.016 DEGRES S OF FREEDO M 166 DECISION REJECT THE NULL HYPOTHESI S Table 7 The calculated values of 2.45 for 11th grade and 2.57 for 12th grade, with standard deviations of 0.59 and 0.56, are shown in the table. The computed t-value and p-value from the t-test are -1.58 and 0.016, respectively, which are lower than the alpha level (0.05), indicating that there is enough evidence that evince the rejection of the null hypothesis. This indicates that there is sufficient evidence to suggest a significant difference between gender and academic anxiety. The study by Alam (2018), which looked at academic anxiety as a predictor of academic achievement in secondary school, found that students in the 10th class had different levels of academic anxiety. All respondents were from secondary schools, and their levels of academic anxiety varied according to gender, suggesting that girls experience academic anxiety more frequently than boys do. In addition, a study by Sharma & Shakil (2020) found that senior secondary school students' levels of academic anxiety differed significantly by school level, which had a great impact on academic standing. Chapter 5 5.0 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 55 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 This chapter shows the synopsis of the findings of the study, the conclusions and the recommendations made by the researchers. 5.1 Findings The researcher aims to determine the significant difference between demographic factors and academic anxiety level among Filipino senior high school students. To be specific, it sought to answer the questions below: 1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: Age Gender Grade level 2. What is the academic anxiety level among the respondents? 3. Is there a statistically significant difference between the demographics and academic anxiety among the respondents? 5.2 Hypothesis The study is guided by its hypothesis: The study reveals no statistically significant difference between the demographics and levels of academic anxiety among Filipino students from senior high school. A standardized test was used to collect comprehensive and trustworthy data on Filipino senior high school students' demographics and academic anxiety. Surveys and Google forms were used to collect the data, which were then compiled, arranged, and tabulated in distribution tables. Descriptive statistics like mean and standard deviation were used by the researcher to interpret and analyze the data. The F-test and t-test were used to look for significant differences between demographic factors and academic anxiety among Filipino senior high school students. The study's most important results were as follows: 1. The researchers gathered data from 270 Filipino senior high school students and identify their demographics through a survey while administering the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) simultaneously through google forms. The demographic factors comprise age, gender, and grade level. Based on findings, in terms of age, 15- 17 and 18- 20 years old experienced moderate academic anxiety with mean and SD of 2.69 and 2.49, and 0.57 and 0.54 respectively. While on the other hand, those Filipino senior high school students aged 21- 22 years old experience low academic anxiety with a mean SD of 1.69 and 0.60. With respect to gender, results showed both genders: male (2.62) and female (2.39) with a standard deviation of 0.52 and 0.61 respectively experience moderate academic anxiety. In terms of grade level, www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 56 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 the results showed grade 11 and 12 Filipino students from senior high revealed a moderate level of academic anxiety with a standard deviation of 0.59 and 0.56. 2. The Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) was used to evaluate the respondents' level of academic anxiety. The majority of respondents, 89 (32.96%) of 270 Filipino senior high school students, reported a moderate level of academic anxiety, according to the findings. In addition, the study revealed that 74 respondents (27.41 percent) reported low levels of academic anxiety while 83 respondents (30.74 percent) reported high levels of academic anxiety. 3. The F-test and the t-test were used by the researchers to determine the significant difference between demographic factors and academic anxiety among Filipino students of senior high school. The following were the calculated p-values: age was 0.003, gender was 0.001, and grade level was 0.016. This indicates that the respondents' demographic characteristics and levels of academic anxiety differ significantly. As a result, the null hypothesis can be rejected with sufficient evidence. 5.3 Conclusion Based on the findings made, the following conclusions were hereby drawn: 1. The demographic factors include the age, gender, and the grade level. Ages 15- 17 years old and 18- 20 years old experiences moderate academic anxiety while those respondents who aged 21- 22 years old experienced low levels of academic anxiety. In terms of gender and their grade level, both were reported moderate level of academic anxiety. 2. The levels of academic anxiety among Filipino senior high school students were found to be in moderate level. 3. The differences among the demographic factors and the level of academic anxiety were found to be significant at 0.05 critical alpha levels. 5.4 Recommendation In lined with the aforementioned findings and conclusions, the following were hereby recommended by the researcher: 1. Filipino senior high school students who served as the study's respondents are recommended the study by the researcher. This is to educate them about their vulnerability to academic anxiety and the possible changes they might encounter during this stage. They will be able to mentally and emotionally prepare themselves once they have the information about it. 2. Additionally, the study is highly recommended to school personnel and teachers. They should conduct assessments that look at emotional and psychological aspects in addition to academics because they were the ones who kept an eye on their students while they were at www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 57 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 school. This is to increase the number of school-based programs and interventions that can reduce academic anxiety in students. 3. Parents should also educate their children about the subject at hand. Understanding their children's experiences at home and in school will be based on this; that they will be able to effectively deal with any maladaptive behavior displayed by their children. The researcher recommends clinical psychologist to come up with a treatment and intervention plan specifically addresses academic anxiety among Filipino senior high school students. 4. The researchers suggest including the various predisposing factors that lead Filipino senior high school students to experience academic anxiety as one of their problems in the analysis of the results for future researchers who wish to conduct a similar study on academic anxiety. A multi-, intra-, or interdisciplinary study of this phenomenon is also recommended. To explain these risk factors, they should incorporate theories from related fields. As a result, it is suggested that qualitative and quantitative methods be used to fully comprehend the subject at hand. REFERENCES Al Azzam et. al (2021). Predictors of Depression and Anxiety Among Senior High School Students During COVID- 19 Pandemic: The Context of Home Quarantine and Online Education. Sage Journal, Volume 37, Issue 4. http://doi.org/10.1177/1059840520988548 Alfoukha M. M., Hamdan-Mansour A. M., Banihani M. A. (2019). Social and psychological factors related to risk of eating disorders among high school girls. 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Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 59 International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review Volume: 06, Issue: 01 January - February 2023 ISSN 2582-0176 Zhang J., Lu H., Zeng H., Zhang S., Du Q., Jiang T., Du B. (2020). The differential psychological distress of populations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 87, 49–50. www.ijssmr.org Copyright © IJSSMR 2023, All right reserved Page 60