A Study on the Relationship between Anxiety and Academic Resilience among School Students

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between anxiety and academic resilience among secondary school students. Anxiety, as defined by the DSM-5, is characterized by excessive fear, worry, and related behavioral disturbances that interfere with daily functioning, and remains one of the most prevalent psychological concerns during adolescence, while academic resilience serves as a crucial protective factor enabling students to navigate academic challenges effectively. The study followed a quantitative research design, with a sample of 150 secondary school students (82 males, 68 females) falling within the age range of 13–18 years, drawn through probability sampling, specifically the simple random sampling method. Data were collected using the Academic Anxiety Scale (Cassady, 2019) and the Academic Resilience Scale-30 (Cassidy, 2016), and subsequently analyzed using Pearson's product-moment correlation and independent samples t-test. Results indicated a significant negative relationship between anxiety and academic resilience (r = −.248, p = .002), with no significant gender difference in anxiety levels (t(148) = −0.59, p = .559), while female students scored significantly higher on academic resilience than their male counterparts (t(148) = 2.11, p = .037, d = 0.35). Two null hypotheses were rejected, confirming a significant negative relationship between anxiety and academic resilience and a significant gender difference in academic resilience favouring females, while one was accepted, indicating no significant gender difference in anxiety levels. These findings underscore academic resilience as a vital psychological buffer against anxiety, emphasizing the need for school-based resilience-building interventions to foster student well-being and academic success.