WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Sudha Anbalagan* and Negin Francis

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Examinations will trigger stress and lots of tension for several students. In fact, accepted level of nervous tension possibly facilitates students to execute the best of their ability. However an excessive amount of anxiety will block thoughts, produce a negative frame of mind and result in panic and probably poor examination performance. There are several factors that contribute to examination stress which may cause irrational thinking about exams and its outcomes. Research Problem: Found more cheating and hysterical attacks among students in the exam halls due to intense stress. This study helps to understand the level and therefore the factors inducing examination stress among students. Aim & Objectives: To evaluate examination stress and its stressors among undergraduate female students. Materials & Methods: Present study was done on 208 university female students after institution approval and proper consent. Their examination stress levels and its factors were assessed using a self-rating questionnaire. All data were coded and analysed using SPSS version 23 with a prior set of p<0.05 level. Results: Out of 230 students, 208 (90.4%) responded. Overall 31% of students were having very severe level and 39% of them were having severe level of examination stress. The department and English proficiency of students significantly associated with level of examination stress. In great extent, factors inducing students’ exam stress were fear of failure (62.5%), high expectations of parents (50%), lack of quiet environment (60%) and too many lectures in the course (63%). The GPA in last semester, English proficiency, mother and father education were associated only with academic factors inducing examination stress. Conclusion: The study results indicated high levels of exam stress among the undergraduate female students, showing that there is a need for stress reduction programs from the beginning of the academic session.