RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-ESTEEM AND TEST ANXIETY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ECONOMICS IN UGHELLI, DELTA STATE

Abstract

The study was designed to determine the relationship between self-esteem and test anxiety of senior secondary school students in Economics in Ughelli, Delta State. Five research questions were raised and two hypotheses were formulated for the study. The study adopted correlational-descriptive research design. The population of study comprised 172 SS II Economics students from two private secondary schools in Ughelli. A sample size of 60 SS II Economics students made up of (30 male and 30 female Economics students) was selected for the study using convenient sampling technique. The researchers adapted Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965) and Test Anxiety Questionnaire (Suinn, 1969) as instruments for data collection. Cronbach alpha statistic was used to establish the reliability co-efficient of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale which yielded 0.76 while that of Test Anxiety Questionnaire was 0.81. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research question 1 and 2 while Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to answer research question 3, 4 and 5 and in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that private secondary schools male Economics students have high self-esteem score than their female counterparts. The study further disclosed that private secondary schools female Economics students have high test anxiety score than their male counterparts. In addition, the study revealed that a negative and low relationship exists between self-esteem and test anxiety of private senior secondary school students in Economics irrespective of their gender. More so, outcome of the study indicated that a significant relationship exists between male and female students’ self-esteem and their test anxiety in Economics and the null hypotheses were rejected. The researchers concluded that high self-perception tend to reduces students’ level of anxiety in Economics in private secondary schools. The study recommended among others that, female secondary schools students’ should develop positive attitude and see Economics subject as an interesting subject.

Keyword: Secondary school education, Economics, self-esteem and test anxiety