A Comparative Study on Academic Performance and Academic Stress among Students appearing and not appearing for Board Exams

Abstract

The present environment is full of ambiguity and stress owing to cutthroat competitions and rapid growth. The students face pressure to meet up with academic demands and parental expectations, additionally deal with psychological challenges. Stress is indeed a driving force behind growth and learning however excess of it not only results in personal and psychological issues but also poor academic achievement. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between academic stress and academic performance among students appearing for board examination compared to their non-board counterparts. A total sample of 150, (75 board appearing students and 75 non-board students) were taken. The Academic Stress scale and Academic Performance questionnaire were used as scales to conduct the study. The results revealed that academic stress is negatively correlated with academic performance. Additionally, students appearing for board exams reported higher exam stress and classroom stress in comparison to non-board counterparts. On the other hand, no significant difference was seen in terms of academic performance. The results emphasis the importance of managing academic stress to improve the academic performance of students. Further research must be done to understand other factors which must be responsible for increased academic stress among board appearing student’s vs non board students. Furthermore, introduction of stress management trainings and wellness programs to improve overall wellbeing of students.