Academic Anxiety and Its Mediation on Self-Efficacy and Learners’ Autonomy Among High School Students

Abstract

Students lives revolved around deadlines, pressure, and success. Although, the complexity of student’s experiences varies from one context to another, it is imperative for educators to determine the desired learning needs of the students. This study aimed to examine whether academic anxiety mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and learners’ autonomy among Philippines High School Students. The participants in this study included 200 participants from De La Salle Medical and Health Science Institute. This study utilized predictive cross-sectional design and mediation model. The results showed that the students exhibited high self-efficacy and learner autonomy and moderate academic anxiety. Also, the results indicated that there were significant relationships between self-efficacy and academic anxiety; self-efficacy and learner’s autonomy; and academic anxiety and learner autonomy. Furthermore, the study found that academic anxiety mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and learner autonomy. The study’s findings revealed that academic anxiety may a mediating factor on how students believe in their capabilities and feel confident to succeed academically which is a key indicator to increase learner’s autonomy. Using academic anxiety as a mediating variable, self-efficacy and learners’ autonomy seem to be important factors in predicting academic success.