Prevalence and Dimensions of Test Anxiety among Medical and Business Students: A Case Study of GAMBY College, Ethiopia

Prevalence and Dimensions of Test Anxiety among Medical and Business Students: A Case Study of GAMBY College, Ethiopia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Prevalence and Dimensions of Test Anxiety among Medical and Business Students: A Case Study of GAMBY College, Ethiopia Seid, Adugna This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9232865/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Test anxiety is a prevalent psychological barrier to academic success, particularly concerning in Ethiopian higher education given the high-stakes examination culture. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of test anxiety among undergraduate students at GAMBY Medical and Business College, a private institution where data are currently lacking. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 173 students from various departments (Pharmacy, Management, Nursing, Medicine, MLS, Accounting, and Public Health) at GAMBY College. Data were collected using a 20-item questionnaire assessing test anxiety, and analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine means and standard deviations. The sample was predominantly female (66.5%) and aged 22–24 (67.1%). Descriptive analysis revealed a moderate-to-high level of test anxiety across all 20 indicators, with means ranging from 1.91 to 3.39. Significant variability was observed (standard deviations ranging from 1.31 to 1.50), indicating diverse experiences. The Worry component was characterized by post-examination rumination (M = 3.03) and preoccupation with failure (M = 2.94), while the Emotionality component was highlighted by a strong desire for reduced distress (M = 3.39) and feelings of panic (M = 2.80). This study demonstrates a substantial prevalence of test anxiety among students at GAMBY Medical and Business College. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and mental health support services within this PHEI to address both the cognitive (worry) and emotional (physiological arousal) dimensions of test anxiety, ultimately supporting student well-being and academic performance. Educational Psychology Test Anxiety Ethiopia Private Higher Education GAMBY College Student Mental Health Prevalence Worry Emotionality Figures Figure 1 1. Introduction At a global level, test anxiety is recognized as one of the most pervasive psychological barriers to academic success in higher education. It is defined as a multidimensional construct consisting of 'worry' (cognitive interference) and 'emotionality' (autonomic arousal), test anxiety affects approximately 25–40% of students. In the African context, the challenges of test anxiety are compounded by unique socio-economic pressures and a high-stakes examination culture. In many African countries, academic success is viewed not only as an individual achievement but as a primary vehicle for social mobility and family security ( 1 ). Research conducted in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa suggests that African students face significant "pre-exam apprehension" linked to the fear of failure and the limited availability of retake opportunities ( 2 ). Furthermore, the lack of robust mental health support systems within African higher education institutions often leaves students to manage these stressors without professional intervention, leading to somatic manifestations such as headaches and gastrointestinal distress ( 3 ). In Ethiopia, the landscape of higher education has undergone a rapid and stressful transformation. The introduction of the National Exit Examination as a mandatory requirement for graduation and professional licensing has placed unprecedented psychological pressure on students ( 4 ). Studies conducted in Ethiopian public universities have shown that over 52% of students in health science and business disciplines experience moderate-to-high levels of test anxiety ( 5 , 6 ). For instance, research at University of Gondar and Jimma University revealed that students often manifest anxiety through "cognitive blockage," where the pressure of high-stakes testing inhibits the retrieval of well-learned clinical facts ( 7 ). Despite these findings in the public sector, there is a significant lack of data regarding Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs). At GAMBY Medical and Business College, students may face an even more complex stress profile, combining the rigorous demands of medical curricula with the financial pressure of private tuition and the urgent need for competitive employment in a saturated labor market. Despite the rigorous academic training provided at GAMBY Medical and Business College, students may face a unique and complex stress profile. GAMBY, a private institution offering undergraduate programs in medicine, pharmacy, Nursing, Public health, Medical Laboratory Science, Accounting, and Management, attracts a diverse student body seeking professional qualifications in a highly competitive Ethiopian job market. Students at the College not only navigate a demanding curriculum but also bear the financial burden of private tuition, creating significant pressure to succeed. Preliminary data from faculty observations and informal student feedback suggest a concerning prevalence of “cognitive blockage”—difficulty recalling well-learned facts—during critical examinations such as Course Exams, Exit Exams, and the mandatory National Licensing Exams. This anxiety is not merely temporary nervousness; it is a debilitating condition that hinders accurate assessment of student knowledge and could potentially lead to lower licensing pass rates, diminished institutional reputation, and compromised mental health among future healthcare and business professionals. Critically, despite growing evidence of test anxiety in Ethiopian public universities, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding its prevalence and characteristics within Private Higher Education Institutions like GAMBY, necessitating this investigation. Therefore, the primary aim of this research is to investigate the prevalence and multidimensional characteristics of test anxiety among medical and business students at GAMBY Medical and Business College. Specifically, the study seeks to determine the prevalence of test anxiety among students across various academic departments; to analyze the manifestations of test anxiety through the dimensions of 'Worry' (cognitive) and 'Emotionality' (affective); to examine whether significant differences in test anxiety levels exist based on gender, department, and year of study; and to provide empirical evidence that can inform the development of targeted psychological support systems within private higher education institutions in Ethiopia. 2. Literature review 2.1. Theoretical Framework The investigation of test anxiety is grounded in several decades of psychological discourse, evolving from a focus on general emotionality to a sophisticated understanding of cognitive interference and personality traits. 2.1.1. The Multi-Dimensional Nature of Test Anxiety Test anxiety has been an established area of scientific inquiry since the early 1950s ( 8 ). It is formally defined as a multi-dimensional construct comprising negative affect, worry, physiological arousal, and behavioral responses that accompany concerns about a potential lack of competence in evaluative situations ( 9 ). In this study, test anxiety is viewed not merely as "nervousness" but as a complex interaction between a student's cognitive processing and their physiological state. Building upon these foundational theories, Spielberger (1980) refined the construct by identifying two distinct components of test anxiety: Worry and Emotionality. 'Worry' refers to the cognitive concerns regarding performance and failure, while 'Emotionality' refers to the subjective-physiological feelings of autonomic arousal ( 10 ). This dual-factor framework is the primary lens through which the current study analyzes the manifestations of student distress at GAMBY College. 2.1.2. Cognitive Interference and Stress Models A critical theoretical distinction exists between stress and anxiety. According to Putwain et al., (2007; 2012), stress occurs when an individual perceives a discrepancy between the demands of a task and their resources to meet those demands ( 11 , 12 ). Challenge vs. Threat model: Selye (1974) posited that stress can manifest as "eustress" (challenge) or "distress" (threat). When a student views an exam as a challenge, it can enhance motivation and performance ( 13 ). The Threat Response model: Conversely, if the student perceives the exam as a threat, it produces anxiety and interferes with cognitive functions, such as memory retrieval and focus ( 14 ). This danger response is often rooted in a focus on the consequences of failure and a lack of self-belief in managing the stressor. 2.1.3. State-Trait Anxiety Theory The distinction between Trait and State anxiety is fundamental to this study). Trait Anxiety refers to a stable personality characteristic where an individual is generally predisposed to perceive situations as threatening. State Anxiety is a transitory emotional state that varies in intensity depending on the specific situation—in this case, the examination hall ( 15 ). Huberty and Dick (2006) suggest that students with high trait anxiety are significantly more likely to experience elevated state anxiety during high-stakes testing, as they possess a lower threshold for perceiving evaluative settings as "dangerous ( 16 )." 2.2. Empirical Framework Recent empirical studies have consistently demonstrated the inverse relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement. Bonaccio and Reeve (2010, 2011) highlight that high level of anxiety act as a 'noise' factor that prevents students from demonstrating their true intellectual capacity ( 17 , 36 ). Research indicates that medical and business students—disciplines characterized by high-volume information and professional licensing requirements—experience significantly higher anxiety levels than their counterparts in the social sciences ( 18 ). In the African higher education sector, studies show that test anxiety is often exacerbated by limited retake opportunities and high-stakes "one-off" examinations ( 2 ). Empirical evidence from Ethiopian public universities suggests that over 50% of students suffer from debilitating anxiety during exit exams ( 6 ). However, there remains an empirical gap regarding the specific manifestations among students in private colleges like GAMBY, where financial and employment pressures may create a unique anxiety profile. 2.3. Conceptual Framework Based on the theoretical and empirical review, the following conceptual framework (Figure. 1) illustrates the variables influencing test anxiety among students at GAMBY Medical and Business College. Independent variables (Age, Gender, Department, Year of study, CGPA ◊ Mediating Variables (cognitive/physiological dimensions Test Anxiety ◊ Dependent variable (Academic Impact Independent Variables (Background Factors) : Demographics: Age, Gender. Academic Context: Department (Medical vs. Business), Year of Study, Current CGPA. The Mediating Variable (Test Anxiety Construct) : Cognitive Dimension (Worry): Preoccupation with failure, grade-related concerns, and self-defeating thoughts. Physiological Dimension (Emotionality): Rapid heart rate, jitteriness, and somatic distress (stomach upset). Dependent Variable (The Outcome) : Academic Impact: Cognitive blockage (memory loss), confusion under pressure, and perceived desire for reduced distress. Description of the Model The framework posits that a student’s demographic and academic background (Independent Variables) influences their predisposition to test-related distress. During an evaluative stressor (the examination), these background factors interact with the student’s appraisal of the situation. If the exam is appraised as a threat rather than a challenge, it triggers heightened levels of test anxiety, manifesting through two distinct dimensions: Cognitive Interference (Worry) and Physiological Arousal (Emotionality). These dimensions act as mediators that ultimately result in Academic Impact (the Dependent Variable), such as cognitive blockage and memory loss, which impede the student’s ability to recall well-learned information and accurately demonstrate their intellectual potential. 3. Methods and Materials 3.1. Study Design A formal institutional-based cross-sectional study design was employed to assess the prevalence and indicators of test anxiety among students. This design was selected to provide a "snapshot" of the psychological and physiological dimensions of anxiety across multiple academic programs simultaneously. 3.2. Participants and Sample size The source population for this study comprised 881 students (298 males and 583 females) currently enrolled in seven academic programs at GAMBY Medical and Business College. To ensure that the sample was a true reflection of the institutional population density and to allow for meaningful comparisons across diverse disciplines, a proportional stratified sampling technique was employed. By utilizing the academic department as the primary stratum, the researchers applied a sampling fraction of approximately 20% to each department. This approach was selected to ensure that larger departments, such as Pharmacy, were represented in proportion to their actual enrollment while still maintaining sufficient numbers from smaller programs for descriptive analysis. The initial sampling procedure resulted in a target goal of 177 students. Of these, 173 valid responses were obtained (a 97.7% response rate) and used for the final analysis. The distribution of the total population and the corresponding proportional sample goals per department are summarized in Table 1 below. Table 1 Population and Sample Size Distribution by Program Program of study Total Population Sample Goal Pharmacy 435 87 Management 110 22 Nursing 98 20 Medicine 83 17 MLS 74 15 Accounting 56 11 Public Health 25 5 Total 881 177 Source: Own Field study, 2025 3.3. Data Source and Collection Method Primary data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The instrument utilized a 20-item scale based on a 5-point Likert system (1 = Never to 5 = Always). Data collection was performed in person within classroom settings to ensure a high response rate and to allow the research team to provide immediate clarification on the survey instructions. 3.4. Validity and Reliability Reliability Analysis To ensure content validity, the questionnaire was reviewed by a panel of academic experts to confirm that indicators accurately represented the "Worry" and "Emotionality" constructs of test anxiety. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha to measure internal consistency. The Present Study with A Cronbach’s alpha of 0.928 indicates excellent internal consistency. This means the items in the questionnaire are highly correlated and reliably measure the same underlying construct (test anxiety). Spielberger’s TAI: Charles Spielberger’s original Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) typically reports alpha coefficients ranging from 0.91 to 0.96. The instrument used in this study is as reliable as Spielberger’s gold-standard scale. The high alpha value (0.928) confirms that the data collected is psychometrically sound and provides a highly dependable measure of test anxiety among this student population ( 19 , 21 ). Structural Validity A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to determine the structural validity of the test anxiety scale. The data showed high sampling adequacy (KMO = 0.842) and significant correlation between variables (Bartlett’s p < .001). A single-factor solution was identified with an Eigenvalue of 3.18, explaining 79.50% of the total variance. All four dimensions exhibited strong factor loadings ranging from 0.850 to 0.923 and high communalities (geq 0.722), confirming that the scale is highly one-dimensional and provides a robust measure of the test anxiety construct (Table 2 , Own Field survey, 2025). Table 2 Summary of Principal Component Analysis for Test Anxiety Dimensions (N = 173) Dimension Factor loading (Lambda) Communality (h^2) Cognitive (Worry/Thoughts) 0.923 0.851 Emotional (Mood/Feeling) 0.919 0.845 Physiological (Physical) 0.873 0.762 General Anxiety (Desire to Reduce) 0.850 0.722 Eigenvalue 3.180 % of Variance explained 79.502% Cumulative % 79.502% Source: Own Field survey, 2025 Managing Incomplete Data and Response Rate A total of 177 questionnaires were distributed to the target population. Following a data-cleaning process, four cases were excluded from the analysis via listwise deletion due to incomplete responses. This resulted in a final sample of 173 verified, usable questionnaires, yielding an exceptionally high response rate of 97.7%. 3.5. Data Analysis Procedure Data were cleaned, coded, and analyzed using SPSS (Version 26.0). Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were calculated for the twenty indicators of test anxiety. Inferential analyses were conducted to determine if significant differences existed in anxiety levels based on demographic variables such as gender and department. 4. Results 4.1. Demographic Result The socio-demographic characteristics of the 173 participants are summarized in Table 1 . The sample was predominantly female (66.5%) and concentrated within the 22–24 age range (67.1%), representing a young adult population. In terms of academic distribution, the Pharmacy department constituted the largest portion of the sample (50.3%), followed by Management (12.7%) and Nursing (11.6%). Furthermore, the majority of respondents were in their senior years of study, with 40.5% in their fourth year and 28.9% in their third year. This distribution reflects the proportional stratified sampling approach used to capture the student population across various stages and departments (Table 3 , Own Field survey, 2025). Table 3 Socio-demographic Characteristics of the Respondents (N = 173) Variable Category Frequency (n) Percentage (%) Gender Male 58 33.5 Female 115 66.5 Department Pharmacy 87 50.3 Management 22 12.7 Nursing 20 11.6 Medicine 17 9.8 MLS 15 8.7 Accounting 10 5.8 Public Health 2 1.2 Year of study First Year 24 13.9 Second year 29 16.7 Third year 50 28.9 Fourth Year 70 40.5 Age group 18–21 52 30.1 22–24 116 67.1 25+ 5 2.8 Source: Own Field survey, 2025. Note: Age groups 25–27, 28–31, and 32–35 were merged for conciseness. 4.2. Descriptive result The descriptive analysis of the twenty test anxiety indicators (Table 4 , Own Field survey, 2025) suggests that students at GAMBY Medical and Business College experience a moderate-to-high level of anxiety across multiple dimensions. The means for the majority of indicators cluster between 2.50 and 3.00 on a 5-point Likert scale. Notably, the high standard deviations (ranging from 1.31 to 1.50) indicate significant variability in the student population, suggesting that while some students remain unaffected, a substantial proportion suffers from severe test-related distress. Table 4 Descriptive statistics of test anxiety NO Indicator Item description Mean Std. Deviation 1 Confidence and relaxation during exam 2.76 1.337 2 Feeling of uneasiness and being upset during exam 2.27 1.390 3 Cognitive interference due to grade related concern 2.79 1.383 4 Experience freezing during high stake exam 2.39 1.445 5 Apprehensive regarding academic completion during exam 2.52 1.379 6 Increasing confusion proportional to test taking effort 2.50 1.437 7 Concentration loss due to fear of poor performance 2.75 1.444 8 Jittering/restlessness during significant examination 2.78 1.450 9 Nervousness despite thorough exam preparation 2.73 1.434 10 Anticipatory anxiety before receiving exam result 2.77 1.432 11 General feeling of tension during examination 2.75 1.387 12 Subjective desire for reduced examination distress 3.39 1.504 13 Somatic stress( stomach upset) due to exam tension 1.91 1.309 14 Self-defeating thought during important exam 2.07 1.336 15 Feeling of panic during a high stake exam 2.80 1.489 16 Apprehension and worry prior to exam 2.69 1.395 17 Physiological arousal (rapid heartbeat during exam 2.53 1.412 18 Preoccupation with consequence of failure during test 2.94 1.396 19 Post examination rumination and persistence worry 3.03 1.468 20 Cognitive blockage/memory loss during exam 2.83 1.447 Valid N (listwise) Source: Own Field survey, 2025 In accordance with Spielberger's (1980) Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) framework, the 20 items were categorized into two dimensions: Worry (Cognitive interference and performance concern) and Emotionality (Physiological arousal and affective tension). The Worry component was characterized primarily by post-examination rumination (M = 3.03) and preoccupation with failure (M = 2.94). The Emotionality component was highlighted by a strong subjective desire for reduced distress (M = 3.39) and feelings of panic during high-stakes exams (M = 2.80) (Table 5 , Own Field survey, 2025). Table 5 Table 7 : Item-Wise Mean Distribution of Test Anxiety by Subscale (N = 173) Sub scales Item " Item description Mean Worry (cognitive) 3 Cognitive interference due to grade related concern 2.79 5 Apprehensive regarding academic completion during exam 2.52 6 Increasing confusion proportional to test taking effort 2.50 7 Concentration loss due to fear of poor performance 2.75 10 Anticipatory anxiety before receiving exam result 2.77 14 Self-defeating thought during important exam 2.07 16 Apprehension and worry prior to exam 2.69 18 Preoccupation with consequence of failure during test 2.94 19 Post examination rumination and persistence worry 3.03 20 Cognitive blockage/memory loss during exam 2.83 Emotional (Affective) 1 Confidence and relaxation during exam 2.76 2 Feeling of uneasiness and being upset during exam 2.27 4 Experience freezing during high stake exam 2.39 8 Jittering/restlessness during significant examination 2.78 9 Nervousness despite thorough exam preparation 2.73 11 General feeling of tension during examination 2.75 12 Subjective desire for reduced examination distress 3.39 13 Somatic stress( stomach upset) due to exam tension 1.91 15 Feeling of panic during a high stake exam 2.80 17 Physiological arousal (rapid heartbeat during exam 2.53 Source: Own Field survey, 2025 Participants demonstrated moderate levels of anxiety across all dimensions. General anxiety/desire to reduce exhibited the highest mean (M = 2.939, SD=.874). Physiological anxiety showed the lowest mean (M = 2.405, SD = 1.084). Cognitive anxiety (M = 2.609, SD = 1.067) and Emotional anxiety (M = 2.568, SD = 1.045) fell between these extremes. Overall anxiety levels varied from 1.00 to 5.00 across all dimensions, indicating a range of experiences within the sample (Table 6 , Own Field survey, 2025). Table 6 Descriptive Statistics for Anxiety Dimensions Anxiety dimensions N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Cognitive 173 1.00 5.00 2.6092 1.06745 Physiological 173 1.00 5.00 2.4046 1.08403 Emotional 173 1.00 5.00 2.5684 1.04516 General anxiety desire to reduce 173 1.00 5.00 2.9387 .87375 Valid N (listwise) 173 Source, Own Field survey, 2025 An analysis of high-anxiety prevalence (responses of "Often" or "Always") revealed a consistent gender gap across all dimensions. Female students reported higher levels of anxiety in every category compared to their male counterparts. The most significant disparity was found in the Emotional dimension, where 41.7% of females reported frequent panic or distress compared to only 25.9% of males—a gap of 15.8% (Table 7 , Own Field survey, 2025). Further investigation is warranted to understand the underlying factors contributing to these gender differences. Table 7 Comparative Analysis of Test Anxiety Dimensions by Gender among GAMBY Students (N = 173). Anxiety Dimension Male (n = 58) Female (N = 115) Gender Gap (%) Emotional (Feeling of Panic/upset) 25.9% 41.7% + 15.8% General desire to reduce anxiety 41.4% 55.7% + 14.3% Cognitive (worry & intrusive thought) 29.3% 40.9% + 11.6% Physiological (Physical Somatic Symptoms) 24.1% 30.4% + 6.3% Source: own Field Survey, 2025 Anxiety levels varied significantly across departments among GAMBY Medical & Business College students. Students in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) and Public Health reported the highest proportions of high anxiety (46.7% and 50.0%, respectively). Medicine, Pharmacy, Accounting, and Management departments reported relatively similar levels, ranging from 27.3% to 30.0%. Nursing showed a moderate level of high anxiety (35.0%). Overall, 30.6% of students across all departments reported experiencing high anxiety (Table 8, Own Field survey, 2025). Notably, students in MLS and Public Health experienced significantly higher levels of anxiety compared to students in other departments. While a desire to reduce anxiety was the most frequently reported dimension across the college, specific departmental profiles revealed unique patterns. For example, students in Accounting and Management exhibited a particularly strong desire to reduce anxiety, while Nursing students reported elevated levels of emotional and general anxiety. Due to the extremely small sample size in Public Health (n = 2), results for this department should be interpreted with extreme caution. Department Sample size (N) Low anxiety (never/Rarely) Moderate (sometimes) High anxiety (often/Always) % High anxiety Medicine 17 6 6 5 29.4% Pharmacy 87 44 19 24 27.6% MLS 15 6 2 7 46.7% Nursing 20 6 7 7 35.0% Public Health 2* 0 1 1 50.0% Accounting 10 4 3 3 30.0% Management 22 12 4 6 27.3% Total 173 78(45%) 42(24%) 53 (31%) 30.6% *Note: Small sample size for Public Health (n = 2) limits generalization. Table 8 Departmental Cross-Tabulation of Aggregate Test Anxiety Levels and Behavioral Indicators among GAMBY Medical & Business College Students (N = 173). Source: Own Field survey, 2025 5. Discussion The current study addressed critical empirical gaps in the literature regarding test anxiety within the Ethiopian private higher education sector, specifically at GAMBY Medical and Business College in Bahir Dar. By utilizing the Spielberger Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), this research provides a nuanced differentiation between the "Worry" (cognitive) and "Emotionality" (affective) components of test-related distress. 5.1. Prevalence and Dimensional Manifestation The study found that 30.6% of students experience high levels of test anxiety is significant and suggests that nearly one-third of the student body faces substantial barriers to optimal academic performance. This prevalence aligns with global trends in medical and business education, where high-stakes assessments are common (18 Zeidner, 1998). A notable contribution of this study is the identification of "Subjective desire for reduced distress" (M = 3.39) and "Post-examination rumination" (M = 3.03) as the primary drivers of anxiety. This indicates that for Ethiopian students in this context, the cognitive burden—the "Worry" component—outweighs the physiological manifestations. This supports Spielberger’s (1980) assertion that cognitive interference is the most debilitating aspect of test anxiety, as it directly competes for the mental resources required for task completion. The 30.6% prevalence of high test anxiety observed at GAMBY College is consistent with recent post-pandemic findings in African higher education, where academic pressure has intensified. For instance, Worku et al., (2023) found that the implementation of mandatory national exit exams in Ethiopia has significantly elevated anxiety levels, with students perceiving these assessments as 'high-stakes gatekeepers' rather than standard evaluations ( 22 ). Furthermore, the dominance of 'Worry' over 'Emotionality' aligns with the Cognitive Load Theory (23 Paas & van Merriënboer, 2020), which suggests that intrusive thoughts consume the limited working memory capacity required for complex medical and business calculations. 5.2. Gender Disparities and Emotionality The predominantly female sample (66.5%) in this study reported consistently higher anxiety across all dimensions, with the most striking disparity found in Emotional anxiety (+ 15.8% gap). This aligns with existing literature indicating that female students often experience and report higher levels of affective distress compared to males (24, 25 Hembree, 1988; Hogg et al., 2017). While some scholars attribute this to biological factors or socialization (26 McManus et al., 2009), others suggest it may reflect a greater willingness among women to acknowledge emotional vulnerability (27 Hyde et al., 2008). In the context of GAMBY College, the high levels of emotional panic and jitteriness among females suggest that interventions should focus not only on study skills but also on emotional regulation and anxiety-reduction techniques specifically tailored for female students. The 15.8% gender gap in emotional anxiety found in this study is corroborated by a recent large-scale meta-analysis by Zhu et al., (2022), which indicates that female students are more likely to utilize 'emotion-focused coping' rather than 'problem-focused coping' in high-stakes environments ( 28 ). In Ethiopia, Tadesse et al., (2021) noted that female students in private colleges often face double the pressure—academic rigor combined with higher societal expectations for domestic roles—which manifests as increased physiological arousal and panic during exams ( 29 ). 5.3. Departmental Variations and Seniority Pressures Although the study sample was skewed toward Pharmacy students (50.3%), the comparative analysis across disciplines revealed distinct and meaningful "anxiety profiles." High "Worry" scores in the Accounting and Finance (60.0%) and Management (59.1%) departments suggest that business students are particularly susceptible to performance-related intrusive thoughts. These findings reflect a global trend where disciplines characterized by rigid professional standards and high-stakes certification exhibit elevated distress levels. For instance, Kaya and Erdem (2021) argue that the transition toward data-driven accounting curricula has increased cognitive "worry" regarding mathematical accuracy, which may explain the high intrusive thought scores observed in GAMBY’s business cohort ( 30 ). Conversely, the results for Medicine students presented a unique paradox: while this group reported the highest "desire to reduce distress" (58.8%), they concurrently exhibited the lowest physical symptoms. This suggests a significant degree of internal psychological pressure and disciplined self-regulation, where students may be suppressing physiological manifestations despite experiencing intense mental strain. In the health sciences, Elnaem et al., (2022) found that pharmacy students specifically experience "clinical placement anxiety" that frequently bleeds into their classroom examinations ( 31 ). This suggests that the 33.3% anxiety prevalence among Pharmacy students at GAMBY is likely a manifestation of the dual pressure of clinical competency and academic rigorousness. Beyond departmental differences, the concentration of anxiety among third- and fourth-year students (combined 69.4%) provides strong empirical support for Sarason’s Interference Theory (1984) ( 20 ). As students approach graduation, examinations are no longer merely academic hurdles but high-stakes gatekeepers for professional licensing and career entry. According to Putwain (2007), the perceived threat of evaluation increases as the consequences of failure become more severe, leading to the heightened cognitive interference observed in this study’s senior cohort ( 11 ). This seniority pressure is acutely relevant within the current Ethiopian educational climate. The 2023/2024 Ministry of Education policy requiring all graduates to pass a national competency exam has transformed the final years of study into a period of intense evaluative stress. As noted by Assefa et al., (2024), senior students now perceive every course-level assessment as a prerequisite for the "ultimate threat"—the national exit exam ( 33 ). This environment fosters a state of chronic "Anticipatory Anxiety," which is empirically reflected in the high mean score for Item 10 (M = 2.77) in this study, regarding anxiety before receiving exam results. 5.4. Addressing the Private Sector Research Gap Existing literature on test anxiety in Ethiopia has predominantly focused on public universities in Addis Ababa (34, 35 Lemma, 2018; Tadesse & Belay, 2015). The current study, therefore, marks a critical departure by investigating a private institution in Bahir Dar—a sector that remains largely under-researched. Students in private colleges may navigate a unique constellation of stressors, including the acute financial pressure of tuition costs and the heightened need to remain competitive within an increasingly saturated labor market. The high standard deviations observed in this study (SD = 1.31 to 1.50) underscore the significant individual variability in how students perceive and navigate these institutional pressures. Furthermore, the application of the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) framework offers a more sophisticated diagnostic utility for Ethiopian educators than generic anxiety scales. By differentiating between 'Worry' and 'Emotionality,' this study provides a roadmap for targeted institutional interventions. Specifically, departments characterized by high cognitive interference (e.g., Accounting and Management) may benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy and 'test-wiseness' training, whereas those reporting elevated emotionality (e.g., Nursing) might find greater relief through autonomic relaxation techniques and mindfulness-based stress reduction. 6. Summary, Conclusion, And Recommendations 6.1. Summary This study investigated the prevalence and dimensions of test anxiety among 173 students at GAMBY Medical and Business College using the Spielberger Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). The internal consistency of the instrument was found to be excellent (α = .928). The findings reveal that 30.6% of students’ faces test anxiety problem. The analysis demonstrated that test anxiety at the college is primarily a cognitive phenomenon rather than a physical one. This is evidenced by the fact that cognitive indicators, such as 'Post-examination rumination' (M = 3.03) and 'Preoccupation with failure' (M = 2.94), recorded significantly higher mean scores than physical somatic symptoms, such as stomach upset (M = 1.91). Furthermore, a significant gender disparity was identified, with female students reporting a 15.8% higher prevalence of emotional distress (panic and uneasiness) compared to their male counterparts. 6.2. Conclusion Based on the findings, it can be concluded that test anxiety is a significant psychological barrier for nearly one-third of the student population at GAMBY College. The study confirms that cognitive "Worry" outweighs "Emotionality" in this context, meaning students are more hindered by intrusive, self-defeating thoughts than by physical illness or physiological arousal., The significant gender gap suggests that the academic environment may be perceived differently by male and female students, with females bearing a heavier emotional burden. Additionally, the concentration of anxiety among senior students validates the theory that the "perceived threat" of evaluation increases as students approach the end of their professional training. Ultimately, the high "desire to reduce distress" (M = 3.39) indicates a widespread, unmet need for psychological support within the private higher education sector in Bahir Dar. 6.3. Recommendations To mitigate test anxiety and support student well-being, GAMBY Medical and Business College should implement a comprehensive strategy encompassing proactive counseling, enhanced exam preparation, pedagogical adjustments, and targeted skill-building workshops. Specifically, establishing a dedicated student counseling unit offering cognitive-behavioral interventions is crucial for addressing worry and rumination. Simultaneously, integrating test-taking strategy sessions into the curriculum, particularly for senior students, can build confidence and reduce cognitive blockage. Recognizing potential gender differences in emotional vulnerability, the college should also facilitate peer-support groups and targeted stress-management workshops for female students. Diversifying assessment methods beyond traditional high-stakes exams – incorporating continuous assessment, projects, and oral examinations – will reduce overall pressure and provide a more holistic evaluation of student learning. Furthermore, addressing specific student concerns revealed by this study is essential., Workshops focusing on cognitive reframing can help students shift their focus from grades and potential failure to mastery of the material., Training in active recall and spaced repetition study techniques can improve knowledge retention and make it more resilient to anxiety. Finally, given that students report nervousness even when well-prepared, incorporating stress-management training – such as breathing exercises – alongside preparation strategies will provide a more complete approach to managing test anxiety and promoting student success. 6.4. Limitations and Future Research Directions This study provides valuable insights into test anxiety among GAMBY Medical and Business College students, but several limitations should be considered. While proportional stratified sampling was employed, the overrepresentation of Pharmacy students (50.3%) introduces potential sample skewness. Furthermore, extremely small sample sizes in departments like Public Health (n = 2) limit the generalizability of findings to those groups. The cross-sectional design captures a single point in time and cannot account for fluctuations in anxiety levels throughout the academic year. As with all self-report data, results are subject to potential biases related to social desirability and individual perception. Future research should address these limitations through longitudinal tracking of student cohorts to assess anxiety trends over time, and qualitative inquiry – such as interviews and focus groups – to explore the underlying psychosocial factors contributing to anxiety. Expanding the study to include a regional comparative analysis across multiple institutions in the Amhara region would help determine the prevalence of specific anxiety dimensions. Finally, experimental studies evaluating the efficacy of interventions like mindfulness-based stress reduction or expressive writing are needed to inform evidence-based strategies for mitigating test anxiety and supporting student well-being. Abbreviations IV Independent Variable DV Dependent Variable KMO Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin MLS Medical Laboratory Science PCA Principal Component Analysis SD Standard Deviation SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences TAI Test Anxiety Inventory Declarations Ethical Approval The study received formal ethical clearance from the College Research Ethics Committee with Ref. No G/C-03/767/2025 . Participants were fully briefed on the study’s objectives, and participation was entirely voluntary. To protect student privacy, no personal identifiers (names or ID numbers) were collected. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication Not applicable. Funding Sources This research was supported by internal institutional resources provided by the College. No external funding or financial support from outside agencies was received for the conduct of the study or the preparation of this manuscript. Authors Contribution SM conceptualised and designed the study, collected the data, and interpreted the results. Acknowledgements The authors express their sincere gratitude to the administration and support staff of the College and the participating students and department instructors for their logistical cooperation. We also extend our appreciation to the mentors and faculty supervisors whose guidance was instrumental in the completion of this research. Availability of data and materials The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Conflict of Interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to this work. References Oladimeji BZ (2005) Psychological Assessment Techniques in Health Care. Obafemi Awolowo University Nwankwo BE et al (2014) Role of gender and self-esteem on test anxiety among Nigerian students. J Educational Social Res 4(3):435 Mokwena T et al (2021) Academic stress and psychological well-being of students in African higher education. Afr J Health Sci 281:15–25 MoE (Ministry of Education) (2021) Higher Education Quality and Assessment Guidelines for Licensing. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tsegay L, Shumet S, Damene W, Gebreegziabhier G, Ayano G (2019) Prevalence and determinants of test anxiety among medical students in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. BMC medical education , 19 (1), p.423 Gebrehiwot K et al (2019) Prevalence of test anxiety and its associated factors among undergraduate students in Ethiopia. BMC Psychol 7(1):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-019-0358-1 Jarso MH, Tariku M, Mamo A, Tsegaye T, Gezimu W (2024) Test anxiety and its. Mandler G, Sarason SB (1952) A study of anxiety and learning. J Abnorm Social Psychol 47(2):166–173. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0062855 Matthews G, Zeidner M, Roberts RD (2006) Emotional intelligence: A promise unfulfilled? Jpn Psychol Res 48(3):173–185 Spielberger CD (1980) Central State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI): Form Y. Mind Garden, Inc. Putwain DW (2007) Test anxiety in UK schoolchildren: Prevalence and demographic patterns. Br J Educ Psychol 77(3):579–593 Putwain DW, Connors L, Symes W (2012) Do study skills interventions promote academic achievement in test-anxious students? Learn Individual Differences 22(1):120–125 Selye H (1974) Stress without distress. J.B. Lippincott Co Brianna L et al (2024) Cognitive interference and threat appraisal in higher education: A contemporary review. J Acad Stress Manage 12(1):45–62 Bertrams A, Englert C, Dickhäuser O (2010) Self-control strength in the relation between trait test anxiety and state anxiety. J Res Pers 44(6):738–741 Huberty TJ, Dick AC (2006) Test anxiety and school-related stressors. Handbook of Children's Coping: A Multidimensional Perspective. Springer, pp 315–340 Bonaccio S, Reeve CL (2010) The nature and consequences of test anxiety in a high-stakes environment. Hum Perform 23(3):224–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2010.488460 Zeidner M (1998) Test anxiety: The state of the art. Educational Psychol 33(1):1–30 Spielberger CD (1980) Test Anxiety Inventory: Preliminary professional manual. Consulting Psychologists Sarason IG (1984) Test anxiety. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ Spielberger CD, Vagg PR (eds) (1995) Test anxiety: Theory, assessment, and treatment. Taylor & Francis Worku H et al (2023) The psychological impact of National Exit Examinations on graduating students in Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions. Ethiop J Health Sci 33(2):311–320 Paas F, van Merriënboer JJ (2020) Cognitive-load theory: Methods to manage working memory load in the learning of complex tasks. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 29(4):394–398 Hembree R (1988) Correlates, causes, effects, and treatment of test anxiety. Rev Educ Res 58(1):47–77 Hogg MJ et al (2017) Gender differences in anxiety disorders: Prevalence, risk factors, and treatment outcomes. Clin Psychol Rev 57:1–14 McManus DN et al (2009) Gender differences in anxiety disorders: An epidemiological perspective. Curr Psychiatry Rep 11(5):361–367 Hyde JS et al (2008) Gender differences in psychological distress: A meta-analysis. Psychol Bull 134(2):281–300 Zhu Y et al (2022) Gender differences in test anxiety and its impact on academic performance: A modern meta-analysis. Educational Psychol Rev 34(3):1245–1272 Tadesse S et al (2021) Determinants of academic stress among female students in private higher education institutions in Ethiopia. J Furth High Educ 45(6):721–735 Kaya M, Erdem A (2021) The relationship between accounting anxiety and academic success in the digital era. Int J Bus Manage 16(4):89–102 Elnaem MH et al (2022) Impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy students’ test anxiety and academic performance: A multi-country study. Pharm Pract 20(1):2611 Sarason IG (1984) Stress, anxiety, and cognitive interference: Their role in anticipatory coping. J Personal Soc Psychol 46(4):929 Assefa T et al (2024) Competency-based medical education and the exit exam: A new era of stress for Ethiopian graduates. BMC Med Educ 24(1):45–52 Lemma A (2018) Prevalence of test anxiety and associated factors among medical students in Addis Ababa University. Ethiop J Health Sci 28(3):239–246 Tadesse AW, Belay TA (2015) Test anxiety and its association with academic performance among undergraduate students in Jimma University. Ethiop J Health Sci 25(4):319–326 Bonaccio S, Reeve CL, Winford EC (2011) Post-test reactions to a high-stakes standardized test. Int J Selection Assess 19(4):385–401 Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9232865","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":612592437,"identity":"d3910afd-ae27-4249-9e16-e881aee56495","order_by":0,"name":"Seid","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA50lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAwbmBiDFzMPP33wAyJCQIUILI1iLjOSMYwkgLTxEa7ExOJBjABIgrMWcvbFN6kaFNQ/DgTOfX92oseBhYD98dAM+LZY9B9ukc86k8zA2926zzjkGdBhPWtoNvA67kdgmndt2mIeZ4ew24xw2oBYJHjP8Wu4/BGr5d5iHjSHnmXHOP2K03GAEamk4zMPDkMP8OLeNGC1nEpuBXkjnkZA4Zsac2yfBw0bQL8cPH7ydU2Ntb3+++fHnnG91cvzsh4/h1YIM2CTAJLHKQYD5AymqR8EoGAWjYOQAAHmbR5qv32HfAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"GAMBY Medical \u0026 Business College","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"","middleName":"","lastName":"Seid","suffix":""},{"id":612592438,"identity":"dd82494f-4154-4855-b9e3-13a714f2a0d7","order_by":1,"name":"Adugna","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"GAMBY Medical \u0026 Business College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"","middleName":"","lastName":"Adugna","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-26 10:32:22","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":true,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true,"humanSubjectConsent":true,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9232865/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9232865/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105574021,"identity":"a8c32f59-f8d5-400b-97a6-54e30467094e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-27 13:33:12","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":19631,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eConceptual Model of Test Anxiety\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: Synthesized from established psychological theories (19, 20)\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9232865/v1/0da22124bb3e601cc59de556.png"},{"id":105575355,"identity":"842002a9-fce4-4bae-9169-70c66b77acc4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-27 13:38:30","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1298720,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9232865/v1/43d7f7ad-9196-4870-aaaa-ac412c08501b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003ePrevalence and Dimensions of Test Anxiety among Medical and Business Students: A Case Study of GAMBY College, Ethiopia\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eAt a global level, test anxiety is recognized as one of the most pervasive psychological barriers to academic success in higher education. It is defined as a multidimensional construct consisting of 'worry' (cognitive interference) and 'emotionality' (autonomic arousal), test anxiety affects approximately 25\u0026ndash;40% of students. In the African context, the challenges of test anxiety are compounded by unique socio-economic pressures and a high-stakes examination culture. In many African countries, academic success is viewed not only as an individual achievement but as a primary vehicle for social mobility and family security (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch conducted in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa suggests that African students face significant \"pre-exam apprehension\" linked to the fear of failure and the limited availability of retake opportunities (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, the lack of robust mental health support systems within African higher education institutions often leaves students to manage these stressors without professional intervention, leading to somatic manifestations such as headaches and gastrointestinal distress (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn Ethiopia, the landscape of higher education has undergone a rapid and stressful transformation. The introduction of the National Exit Examination as a mandatory requirement for graduation and professional licensing has placed unprecedented psychological pressure on students (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). Studies conducted in Ethiopian public universities have shown that over 52% of students in health science and business disciplines experience moderate-to-high levels of test anxiety (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). For instance, research at University of Gondar and Jimma University revealed that students often manifest anxiety through \"cognitive blockage,\" where the pressure of high-stakes testing inhibits the retrieval of well-learned clinical facts (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e). Despite these findings in the public sector, there is a significant lack of data regarding Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs). At GAMBY Medical and Business College, students may face an even more complex stress profile, combining the rigorous demands of medical curricula with the financial pressure of private tuition and the urgent need for competitive employment in a saturated labor market.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite the rigorous academic training provided at GAMBY Medical and Business College, students may face a unique and complex stress profile. GAMBY, a private institution offering undergraduate programs in medicine, pharmacy, Nursing, Public health, Medical Laboratory Science, Accounting, and Management, attracts a diverse student body seeking professional qualifications in a highly competitive Ethiopian job market. Students at the College not only navigate a demanding curriculum but also bear the financial burden of private tuition, creating significant pressure to succeed. Preliminary data from faculty observations and informal student feedback suggest a concerning prevalence of \u0026ldquo;cognitive blockage\u0026rdquo;\u0026mdash;difficulty recalling well-learned facts\u0026mdash;during critical examinations such as Course Exams, Exit Exams, and the mandatory National Licensing Exams. This anxiety is not merely temporary nervousness; it is a debilitating condition that hinders accurate assessment of student knowledge and could potentially lead to lower licensing pass rates, diminished institutional reputation, and compromised mental health among future healthcare and business professionals. Critically, despite growing evidence of test anxiety in Ethiopian public universities, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding its prevalence and characteristics within Private Higher Education Institutions like GAMBY, necessitating this investigation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, the primary aim of this research is to investigate the prevalence and multidimensional characteristics of test anxiety among medical and business students at GAMBY Medical and Business College. Specifically, the study seeks to determine the prevalence of test anxiety among students across various academic departments; to analyze the manifestations of test anxiety through the dimensions of 'Worry' (cognitive) and 'Emotionality' (affective); to examine whether significant differences in test anxiety levels exist based on gender, department, and year of study; and to provide empirical evidence that can inform the development of targeted psychological support systems within private higher education institutions in Ethiopia.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Literature review","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1. Theoretical Framework\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe investigation of test anxiety is grounded in several decades of psychological discourse, evolving from a focus on general emotionality to a sophisticated understanding of cognitive interference and personality traits.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.1. The Multi-Dimensional Nature of Test Anxiety\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTest anxiety has been an established area of scientific inquiry since the early 1950s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). It is formally defined as a multi-dimensional construct comprising negative affect, worry, physiological arousal, and behavioral responses that accompany concerns about a potential lack of competence in evaluative situations (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e). In this study, test anxiety is viewed not merely as \"nervousness\" but as a complex interaction between a student's cognitive processing and their physiological state.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBuilding upon these foundational theories, Spielberger (1980) refined the construct by identifying two distinct components of test anxiety: Worry and Emotionality. 'Worry' refers to the cognitive concerns regarding performance and failure, while 'Emotionality' refers to the subjective-physiological feelings of autonomic arousal (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e). This dual-factor framework is the primary lens through which the current study analyzes the manifestations of student distress at GAMBY College.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.2. Cognitive Interference and Stress Models\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA critical theoretical distinction exists between stress and anxiety. According to Putwain et al., (2007; 2012), stress occurs when an individual perceives a discrepancy between the demands of a task and their resources to meet those demands (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChallenge vs. Threat model: Selye (1974) posited that stress can manifest as \"eustress\" (challenge) or \"distress\" (threat). When a student views an exam as a challenge, it can enhance motivation and performance (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Threat Response model: Conversely, if the student perceives the exam as a threat, it produces anxiety and interferes with cognitive functions, such as memory retrieval and focus (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e). This danger response is often rooted in a focus on the consequences of failure and a lack of self-belief in managing the stressor.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.3. State-Trait Anxiety Theory\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe distinction between Trait and State anxiety is fundamental to this study). Trait Anxiety refers to a stable personality characteristic where an individual is generally predisposed to perceive situations as threatening. State Anxiety is a transitory emotional state that varies in intensity depending on the specific situation\u0026mdash;in this case, the examination hall (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHuberty and Dick (2006) suggest that students with high trait anxiety are significantly more likely to experience elevated state anxiety during high-stakes testing, as they possess a lower threshold for perceiving evaluative settings as \"dangerous (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e).\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2. Empirical Framework\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eRecent empirical studies have consistently demonstrated the inverse relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement. Bonaccio and Reeve (2010, 2011) highlight that high level of anxiety act as a 'noise' factor that prevents students from demonstrating their true intellectual capacity (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e). Research indicates that medical and business students\u0026mdash;disciplines characterized by high-volume information and professional licensing requirements\u0026mdash;experience significantly higher anxiety levels than their counterparts in the social sciences (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e). In the African higher education sector, studies show that test anxiety is often exacerbated by limited retake opportunities and high-stakes \"one-off\" examinations (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Empirical evidence from Ethiopian public universities suggests that over 50% of students suffer from debilitating anxiety during exit exams (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). However, there remains an empirical gap regarding the specific manifestations among students in private colleges like GAMBY, where financial and employment pressures may create a unique anxiety profile.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.3. Conceptual Framework\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the theoretical and empirical review, the following conceptual framework (Figure. 1) illustrates the variables influencing test anxiety among students at GAMBY Medical and Business College.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndependent variables (Age, Gender, Department, Year of study, CGPA \u0026loz; Mediating Variables (cognitive/physiological dimensions Test Anxiety \u0026loz; Dependent variable (Academic Impact\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eIndependent Variables (Background Factors)\u003c/em\u003e:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDemographics: Age, Gender.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAcademic Context: Department (Medical vs. Business), Year of Study, Current CGPA.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe Mediating Variable (Test Anxiety Construct)\u003c/em\u003e:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCognitive Dimension (Worry): Preoccupation with failure, grade-related concerns, and self-defeating thoughts.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhysiological Dimension (Emotionality): Rapid heart rate, jitteriness, and somatic distress (stomach upset).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eDependent Variable (The Outcome)\u003c/em\u003e:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eAcademic Impact: Cognitive blockage (memory loss), confusion under pressure, and perceived desire for reduced distress.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eDescription of the Model\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe framework posits that a student\u0026rsquo;s demographic and academic background (Independent Variables) influences their predisposition to test-related distress. During an evaluative stressor (the examination), these background factors interact with the student\u0026rsquo;s appraisal of the situation. If the exam is appraised as a threat rather than a challenge, it triggers heightened levels of test anxiety, manifesting through two distinct dimensions: Cognitive Interference (Worry) and Physiological Arousal (Emotionality). These dimensions act as mediators that ultimately result in Academic Impact (the Dependent Variable), such as cognitive blockage and memory loss, which impede the student\u0026rsquo;s ability to recall well-learned information and accurately demonstrate their intellectual potential.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Methods and Materials","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1. Study Design\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA formal institutional-based cross-sectional study design was employed to assess the prevalence and indicators of test anxiety among students. This design was selected to provide a \"snapshot\" of the psychological and physiological dimensions of anxiety across multiple academic programs simultaneously.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2. Participants and Sample size\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe source population for this study comprised 881 students (298 males and 583 females) currently enrolled in seven academic programs at GAMBY Medical and Business College. To ensure that the sample was a true reflection of the institutional population density and to allow for meaningful comparisons across diverse disciplines, a proportional stratified sampling technique was employed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy utilizing the academic department as the primary stratum, the researchers applied a sampling fraction of approximately 20% to each department. This approach was selected to ensure that larger departments, such as Pharmacy, were represented in proportion to their actual enrollment while still maintaining sufficient numbers from smaller programs for descriptive analysis.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe initial sampling procedure resulted in a target goal of 177 students. Of these, 173 valid responses were obtained (a 97.7% response rate) and used for the final analysis. The distribution of the total population and the corresponding proportional sample goals per department are summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePopulation and Sample Size Distribution by Program\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProgram of study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal Population\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample Goal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePharmacy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e435\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eManagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e110\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNursing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMedicine\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMLS\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccounting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePublic Health\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e881\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e177\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource: Own Field study, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3. Data Source and Collection Method\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrimary data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. The instrument utilized a 20-item scale based on a 5-point Likert system (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Never to 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Always). Data collection was performed in person within classroom settings to ensure a high response rate and to allow the research team to provide immediate clarification on the survey instructions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.4. Validity and Reliability\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eReliability Analysis\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo ensure content validity, the questionnaire was reviewed by a panel of academic experts to confirm that indicators accurately represented the \"Worry\" and \"Emotionality\" constructs of test anxiety. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s Alpha to measure internal consistency. The Present Study with A Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha of 0.928 indicates excellent internal consistency. This means the items in the questionnaire are highly correlated and reliably measure the same underlying construct (test anxiety). Spielberger\u0026rsquo;s TAI: Charles Spielberger\u0026rsquo;s original Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) typically reports alpha coefficients ranging from 0.91 to 0.96. The instrument used in this study is as reliable as Spielberger\u0026rsquo;s gold-standard scale. The high alpha value (0.928) confirms that the data collected is psychometrically sound and provides a highly dependable measure of test anxiety among this student population (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eStructural Validity\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to determine the structural validity of the test anxiety scale. The data showed high sampling adequacy (KMO\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.842) and significant correlation between variables (Bartlett\u0026rsquo;s p \u0026lt; .001). A single-factor solution was identified with an Eigenvalue of 3.18, explaining 79.50% of the total variance. All four dimensions exhibited strong factor loadings ranging from 0.850 to 0.923 and high communalities (geq 0.722), confirming that the scale is highly one-dimensional and provides a robust measure of the test anxiety construct (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, Own Field survey, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSummary of Principal Component Analysis for Test Anxiety Dimensions (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;173)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDimension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFactor loading (Lambda)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCommunality (h^2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCognitive (Worry/Thoughts)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.923\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.851\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional (Mood/Feeling)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.919\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.845\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysiological (Physical)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.873\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.762\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral Anxiety (Desire to Reduce)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.850\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.722\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEigenvalue\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3.180\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e% of Variance explained\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e79.502%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCumulative %\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e79.502%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource: Own Field survey, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eManaging Incomplete Data and Response Rate\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA total of 177 questionnaires were distributed to the target population. Following a data-cleaning process, four cases were excluded from the analysis via listwise deletion due to incomplete responses. This resulted in a final sample of 173 verified, usable questionnaires, yielding an exceptionally high response rate of 97.7%.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.5. Data Analysis Procedure\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eData were cleaned, coded, and analyzed using SPSS (Version 26.0). Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were calculated for the twenty indicators of test anxiety. Inferential analyses were conducted to determine if significant differences existed in anxiety levels based on demographic variables such as gender and department.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1. Demographic Result\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe socio-demographic characteristics of the 173 participants are summarized in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. The sample was predominantly female (66.5%) and concentrated within the 22\u0026ndash;24 age range (67.1%), representing a young adult population. In terms of academic distribution, the Pharmacy department constituted the largest portion of the sample (50.3%), followed by Management (12.7%) and Nursing (11.6%). Furthermore, the majority of respondents were in their senior years of study, with 40.5% in their fourth year and 28.9% in their third year. This distribution reflects the proportional stratified sampling approach used to capture the student population across various stages and departments (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, Own Field survey, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSocio-demographic Characteristics of the Respondents (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;173)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency (n)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGender\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e58\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e115\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e66.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDepartment\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePharmacy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eManagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNursing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMedicine\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMLS\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccounting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePublic Health\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eYear of study\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirst Year\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecond year\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThird year\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFourth Year\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge group\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u0026ndash;21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u0026ndash;24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e116\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e67.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25+\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource: Own Field survey, 2025. Note: Age groups 25\u0026ndash;27, 28\u0026ndash;31, and 32\u0026ndash;35 were merged for conciseness.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2. Descriptive result\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe descriptive analysis of the twenty test anxiety indicators (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, Own Field survey, 2025) suggests that students at GAMBY Medical and Business College experience a moderate-to-high level of anxiety across multiple dimensions. The means for the majority of indicators cluster between 2.50 and 3.00 on a 5-point Likert scale. Notably, the high standard deviations (ranging from 1.31 to 1.50) indicate significant variability in the student population, suggesting that while some students remain unaffected, a substantial proportion suffers from severe test-related distress.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive statistics of test anxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNO\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndicator Item description\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConfidence and relaxation during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.337\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFeeling of uneasiness and being upset during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.390\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCognitive interference due to grade related concern\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.383\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExperience freezing during high stake exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.445\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eApprehensive regarding academic completion during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.379\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIncreasing confusion proportional to test taking effort\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.437\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConcentration loss due to fear of poor performance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.444\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJittering/restlessness during significant examination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.450\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNervousness despite thorough exam preparation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.434\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnticipatory anxiety before receiving exam result\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.432\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral feeling of tension during examination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.387\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSubjective desire for reduced examination distress\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.504\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSomatic stress( stomach upset) due to exam tension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.309\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-defeating thought during important exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.07\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.336\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFeeling of panic during a high stake exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.489\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eApprehension and worry prior to exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.395\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysiological arousal (rapid heartbeat during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.53\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.412\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreoccupation with consequence of failure during test\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.396\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePost examination rumination and persistence worry\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.468\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCognitive blockage/memory loss during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.447\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eValid N (listwise)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource: Own Field survey, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn accordance with Spielberger's (1980) Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) framework, the 20 items were categorized into two dimensions: Worry (Cognitive interference and performance concern) and Emotionality (Physiological arousal and affective tension). The Worry component was characterized primarily by post-examination rumination (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.03) and preoccupation with failure (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.94). The Emotionality component was highlighted by a strong subjective desire for reduced distress (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.39) and feelings of panic during high-stakes exams (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.80) (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, Own Field survey, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e: Item-Wise Mean Distribution of Test Anxiety by Subscale (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;173)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSub scales\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eItem \"\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eItem description\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"9\" rowspan=\"10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWorry (cognitive)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCognitive interference due to grade related concern\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eApprehensive regarding academic completion during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIncreasing confusion proportional to test taking effort\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConcentration loss due to fear of poor performance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnticipatory anxiety before receiving exam result\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-defeating thought during important exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.07\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eApprehension and worry prior to exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreoccupation with consequence of failure during test\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePost examination rumination and persistence worry\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.03\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCognitive blockage/memory loss during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"9\" rowspan=\"10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEmotional (Affective)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eConfidence and relaxation during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFeeling of uneasiness and being upset during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eExperience freezing during high stake exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJittering/restlessness during significant examination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNervousness despite thorough exam preparation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral feeling of tension during examination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSubjective desire for reduced examination distress\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSomatic stress( stomach upset) due to exam tension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFeeling of panic during a high stake exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.80\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysiological arousal (rapid heartbeat during exam\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.53\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource: Own Field survey, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipants demonstrated moderate levels of anxiety across all dimensions. General anxiety/desire to reduce exhibited the highest mean (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.939, SD=.874). Physiological anxiety showed the lowest mean (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.405, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.084). Cognitive anxiety (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.609, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.067) and Emotional anxiety (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.568, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.045) fell between these extremes. Overall anxiety levels varied from 1.00 to 5.00 across all dimensions, indicating a range of experiences within the sample (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, Own Field survey, 2025).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDescriptive Statistics for Anxiety Dimensions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnxiety dimensions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMinimum\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMaximum\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCognitive\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e173\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.6092\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.06745\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysiological\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e173\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4046\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.08403\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e173\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5684\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.04516\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral anxiety desire to reduce\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e173\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.9387\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e.87375\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eValid N (listwise)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e173\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource, Own Field survey, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn analysis of high-anxiety prevalence (responses of \"Often\" or \"Always\") revealed a consistent gender gap across all dimensions. Female students reported higher levels of anxiety in every category compared to their male counterparts. The most significant disparity was found in the Emotional dimension, where 41.7% of females reported frequent panic or distress compared to only 25.9% of males\u0026mdash;a gap of 15.8% (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, Own Field survey, 2025). Further investigation is warranted to understand the underlying factors contributing to these gender differences.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab7\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 7\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eComparative Analysis of Test Anxiety Dimensions by Gender among GAMBY Students (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;173).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnxiety Dimension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;58)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;115)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender Gap (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional (Feeling of Panic/upset)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25.9%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e41.7%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;15.8%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGeneral desire to reduce anxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e41.4%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e55.7%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;14.3%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCognitive (worry \u0026amp; intrusive thought)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.3%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.9%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e+\u0026thinsp;11.6%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysiological (Physical Somatic Symptoms)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24.1%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30.4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e+\u0026thinsp;6.3%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource: own Field Survey, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnxiety levels varied significantly across departments among GAMBY Medical \u0026amp; Business College students. Students in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) and Public Health reported the highest proportions of high anxiety (46.7% and 50.0%, respectively). Medicine, Pharmacy, Accounting, and Management departments reported relatively similar levels, ranging from 27.3% to 30.0%. Nursing showed a moderate level of high anxiety (35.0%). Overall, 30.6% of students across all departments reported experiencing high anxiety (Table\u0026nbsp;8, Own Field survey, 2025). Notably, students in MLS and Public Health experienced significantly higher levels of anxiety compared to students in other departments. While a desire to reduce anxiety was the most frequently reported dimension across the college, specific departmental profiles revealed unique patterns. For example, students in Accounting and Management exhibited a particularly strong desire to reduce anxiety, while Nursing students reported elevated levels of emotional and general anxiety. Due to the extremely small sample size in Public Health (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2), results for this department should be interpreted with extreme caution.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDepartment\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample size (N)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLow anxiety (never/Rarely)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModerate\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(sometimes)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh anxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(often/Always)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e% High anxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMedicine\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePharmacy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27.6%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMLS\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46.7%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNursing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e35.0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePublic Health\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2*\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50.0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccounting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30.0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eManagement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27.3%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e173\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e78(45%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e42(24%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e53 (31%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e30.6%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e*Note: Small sample size for Public Health (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2) limits generalization.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;8\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eDepartmental Cross-Tabulation of Aggregate Test Anxiety Levels and Behavioral Indicators among GAMBY Medical \u0026amp; Business College Students (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;173).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSource: Own Field survey, 2025\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"5. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe current study addressed critical empirical gaps in the literature regarding test anxiety within the Ethiopian private higher education sector, specifically at GAMBY Medical and Business College in Bahir Dar. By utilizing the Spielberger Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), this research provides a nuanced differentiation between the \"Worry\" (cognitive) and \"Emotionality\" (affective) components of test-related distress.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.1. Prevalence and Dimensional Manifestation\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study found that 30.6% of students experience high levels of test anxiety is significant and suggests that nearly one-third of the student body faces substantial barriers to optimal academic performance. This prevalence aligns with global trends in medical and business education, where high-stakes assessments are common (18 Zeidner, 1998). A notable contribution of this study is the identification of \"Subjective desire for reduced distress\" (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.39) and \"Post-examination rumination\" (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.03) as the primary drivers of anxiety. This indicates that for Ethiopian students in this context, the cognitive burden\u0026mdash;the \"Worry\" component\u0026mdash;outweighs the physiological manifestations. This supports Spielberger\u0026rsquo;s (1980) assertion that cognitive interference is the most debilitating aspect of test anxiety, as it directly competes for the mental resources required for task completion.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe 30.6% prevalence of high test anxiety observed at GAMBY College is consistent with recent post-pandemic findings in African higher education, where academic pressure has intensified. For instance, Worku et al., (2023) found that the implementation of mandatory national exit exams in Ethiopia has significantly elevated anxiety levels, with students perceiving these assessments as 'high-stakes gatekeepers' rather than standard evaluations (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e). Furthermore, the dominance of 'Worry' over 'Emotionality' aligns with the Cognitive Load Theory (23 Paas \u0026amp; van Merri\u0026euml;nboer, 2020), which suggests that intrusive thoughts consume the limited working memory capacity required for complex medical and business calculations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.2. Gender Disparities and Emotionality\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe predominantly female sample (66.5%) in this study reported consistently higher anxiety across all dimensions, with the most striking disparity found in Emotional anxiety (+\u0026thinsp;15.8% gap). This aligns with existing literature indicating that female students often experience and report higher levels of affective distress compared to males (24, 25 Hembree, 1988; Hogg et al., 2017). While some scholars attribute this to biological factors or socialization (26 McManus et al., 2009), others suggest it may reflect a greater willingness among women to acknowledge emotional vulnerability (27 Hyde et al., 2008). In the context of GAMBY College, the high levels of emotional panic and jitteriness among females suggest that interventions should focus not only on study skills but also on emotional regulation and anxiety-reduction techniques specifically tailored for female students.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe 15.8% gender gap in emotional anxiety found in this study is corroborated by a recent large-scale meta-analysis by Zhu et al., (2022), which indicates that female students are more likely to utilize 'emotion-focused coping' rather than 'problem-focused coping' in high-stakes environments (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e). In Ethiopia, Tadesse et al., (2021) noted that female students in private colleges often face double the pressure\u0026mdash;academic rigor combined with higher societal expectations for domestic roles\u0026mdash;which manifests as increased physiological arousal and panic during exams (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.3. Departmental Variations and Seniority Pressures\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlthough the study sample was skewed toward Pharmacy students (50.3%), the comparative analysis across disciplines revealed distinct and meaningful \"anxiety profiles.\" High \"Worry\" scores in the Accounting and Finance (60.0%) and Management (59.1%) departments suggest that business students are particularly susceptible to performance-related intrusive thoughts. These findings reflect a global trend where disciplines characterized by rigid professional standards and high-stakes certification exhibit elevated distress levels. For instance, Kaya and Erdem (2021) argue that the transition toward data-driven accounting curricula has increased cognitive \"worry\" regarding mathematical accuracy, which may explain the high intrusive thought scores observed in GAMBY\u0026rsquo;s business cohort (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConversely, the results for Medicine students presented a unique paradox: while this group reported the highest \"desire to reduce distress\" (58.8%), they concurrently exhibited the lowest physical symptoms. This suggests a significant degree of internal psychological pressure and disciplined self-regulation, where students may be suppressing physiological manifestations despite experiencing intense mental strain. In the health sciences, Elnaem et al., (2022) found that pharmacy students specifically experience \"clinical placement anxiety\" that frequently bleeds into their classroom examinations (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e). This suggests that the 33.3% anxiety prevalence among Pharmacy students at GAMBY is likely a manifestation of the dual pressure of clinical competency and academic rigorousness.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeyond departmental differences, the concentration of anxiety among third- and fourth-year students (combined 69.4%) provides strong empirical support for Sarason\u0026rsquo;s Interference Theory (1984) (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e). As students approach graduation, examinations are no longer merely academic hurdles but high-stakes gatekeepers for professional licensing and career entry. According to Putwain (2007), the perceived threat of evaluation increases as the consequences of failure become more severe, leading to the heightened cognitive interference observed in this study\u0026rsquo;s senior cohort (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis seniority pressure is acutely relevant within the current Ethiopian educational climate. The 2023/2024 Ministry of Education policy requiring all graduates to pass a national competency exam has transformed the final years of study into a period of intense evaluative stress. As noted by Assefa et al., (2024), senior students now perceive every course-level assessment as a prerequisite for the \"ultimate threat\"\u0026mdash;the national exit exam (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e). This environment fosters a state of chronic \"Anticipatory Anxiety,\" which is empirically reflected in the high mean score for Item 10 (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.77) in this study, regarding anxiety before receiving exam results.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e5.4. Addressing the Private Sector Research Gap\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eExisting literature on test anxiety in Ethiopia has predominantly focused on public universities in Addis Ababa (34, 35 Lemma, 2018; Tadesse \u0026amp; Belay, 2015). The current study, therefore, marks a critical departure by investigating a private institution in Bahir Dar\u0026mdash;a sector that remains largely under-researched. Students in private colleges may navigate a unique constellation of stressors, including the acute financial pressure of tuition costs and the heightened need to remain competitive within an increasingly saturated labor market. The high standard deviations observed in this study (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.31 to 1.50) underscore the significant individual variability in how students perceive and navigate these institutional pressures.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the application of the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI) framework offers a more sophisticated diagnostic utility for Ethiopian educators than generic anxiety scales. By differentiating between 'Worry' and 'Emotionality,' this study provides a roadmap for targeted institutional interventions. Specifically, departments characterized by high cognitive interference (e.g., Accounting and Management) may benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy and 'test-wiseness' training, whereas those reporting elevated emotionality (e.g., Nursing) might find greater relief through autonomic relaxation techniques and mindfulness-based stress reduction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"6. Summary, Conclusion, And Recommendations","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e6.1. Summary\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study investigated the prevalence and dimensions of test anxiety among 173 students at GAMBY Medical and Business College using the Spielberger Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). The internal consistency of the instrument was found to be excellent (α\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.928). The findings reveal that 30.6% of students\u0026rsquo; faces test anxiety problem.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analysis demonstrated that test anxiety at the college is primarily a cognitive phenomenon rather than a physical one. This is evidenced by the fact that cognitive indicators, such as 'Post-examination rumination' (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.03) and 'Preoccupation with failure' (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.94), recorded significantly higher mean scores than physical somatic symptoms, such as stomach upset (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.91). Furthermore, a significant gender disparity was identified, with female students reporting a 15.8% higher prevalence of emotional distress (panic and uneasiness) compared to their male counterparts.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e6.2. Conclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the findings, it can be concluded that test anxiety is a significant psychological barrier for nearly one-third of the student population at GAMBY College. The study confirms that cognitive \"Worry\" outweighs \"Emotionality\" in this context, meaning students are more hindered by intrusive, self-defeating thoughts than by physical illness or physiological arousal.,\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe significant gender gap suggests that the academic environment may be perceived differently by male and female students, with females bearing a heavier emotional burden. Additionally, the concentration of anxiety among senior students validates the theory that the \"perceived threat\" of evaluation increases as students approach the end of their professional training. Ultimately, the high \"desire to reduce distress\" (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.39) indicates a widespread, unmet need for psychological support within the private higher education sector in Bahir Dar.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec26\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e6.3. Recommendations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo mitigate test anxiety and support student well-being, GAMBY Medical and Business College should implement a comprehensive strategy encompassing proactive counseling, enhanced exam preparation, pedagogical adjustments, and targeted skill-building workshops. Specifically, establishing a dedicated student counseling unit offering cognitive-behavioral interventions is crucial for addressing worry and rumination. Simultaneously, integrating test-taking strategy sessions into the curriculum, particularly for senior students, can build confidence and reduce cognitive blockage. Recognizing potential gender differences in emotional vulnerability, the college should also facilitate peer-support groups and targeted stress-management workshops for female students. Diversifying assessment methods beyond traditional high-stakes exams \u0026ndash; incorporating continuous assessment, projects, and oral examinations \u0026ndash; will reduce overall pressure and provide a more holistic evaluation of student learning.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, addressing specific student concerns revealed by this study is essential., Workshops focusing on cognitive reframing can help students shift their focus from grades and potential failure to mastery of the material., Training in active recall and spaced repetition study techniques can improve knowledge retention and make it more resilient to anxiety. Finally, given that students report nervousness even when well-prepared, incorporating stress-management training \u0026ndash; such as breathing exercises \u0026ndash; alongside preparation strategies will provide a more complete approach to managing test anxiety and promoting student success.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec27\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e6.4. Limitations and Future Research Directions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study provides valuable insights into test anxiety among GAMBY Medical and Business College students, but several limitations should be considered. While proportional stratified sampling was employed, the overrepresentation of Pharmacy students (50.3%) introduces potential sample skewness. Furthermore, extremely small sample sizes in departments like Public Health (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2) limit the generalizability of findings to those groups. The cross-sectional design captures a single point in time and cannot account for fluctuations in anxiety levels throughout the academic year. As with all self-report data, results are subject to potential biases related to social desirability and individual perception.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFuture research should address these limitations through longitudinal tracking of student cohorts to assess anxiety trends over time, and qualitative inquiry \u0026ndash; such as interviews and focus groups \u0026ndash; to explore the underlying psychosocial factors contributing to anxiety. Expanding the study to include a regional comparative analysis across multiple institutions in the Amhara region would help determine the prevalence of specific anxiety dimensions. Finally, experimental studies evaluating the efficacy of interventions like mindfulness-based stress reduction or expressive writing are needed to inform evidence-based strategies for mitigating test anxiety and supporting student well-being.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionList\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eIV\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndependent Variable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eDV\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDependent Variable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eKMO\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eKaiser-Meyer-Olkin\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eMLS\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMedical Laboratory Science\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003ePCA\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePrincipal Component Analysis\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eSD\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStandard Deviation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eSPSS\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStatistical Package for the Social Sciences\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eTAI\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTest Anxiety Inventory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":" \u003ch2\u003eEthical Approval\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e The study received formal ethical clearance from the College Research Ethics Committee with Ref. No \u003cspan type=\"Underline\" class=\"Underline\" name=\"Emphasis\"\u003eG/C-03/767/2025\u003c/span\u003e. Participants were fully briefed on the study\u0026rsquo;s objectives, and participation was entirely voluntary. To protect student privacy, no personal identifiers (names or ID numbers) were collected. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding Sources\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e This research was supported by internal institutional resources provided by the College. No external funding or financial support from outside agencies was received for the conduct of the study or the preparation of this manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthors Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSM conceptualised and designed the study, collected the data, and interpreted the results.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors express their sincere gratitude to the administration and support staff of the College and the participating students and department instructors for their logistical cooperation. We also extend our appreciation to the mentors and faculty supervisors whose guidance was instrumental in the completion of this research.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConflict of Interest\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to this work.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOladimeji BZ (2005) Psychological Assessment Techniques in Health Care. Obafemi Awolowo University\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNwankwo BE et al (2014) Role of gender and self-esteem on test anxiety among Nigerian students. 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Int J Selection Assess 19(4):385\u0026ndash;401\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"GAMBY Medical and Business College","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Test Anxiety, Ethiopia, Private Higher Education, GAMBY College, Student Mental Health, Prevalence, Worry, Emotionality","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9232865/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9232865/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eTest anxiety is a prevalent psychological barrier to academic success, particularly concerning in Ethiopian higher education given the high-stakes examination culture. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of test anxiety among undergraduate students at GAMBY Medical and Business College, a private institution where data are currently lacking.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 173 students from various departments (Pharmacy, Management, Nursing, Medicine, MLS, Accounting, and Public Health) at GAMBY College. Data were collected using a 20-item questionnaire assessing test anxiety, and analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine means and standard deviations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe sample was predominantly female (66.5%) and aged 22\u0026ndash;24 (67.1%). Descriptive analysis revealed a moderate-to-high level of test anxiety across all 20 indicators, with means ranging from 1.91 to 3.39. Significant variability was observed (standard deviations ranging from 1.31 to 1.50), indicating diverse experiences. The Worry component was characterized by post-examination rumination (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.03) and preoccupation with failure (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.94), while the Emotionality component was highlighted by a strong desire for reduced distress (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.39) and feelings of panic (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;2.80).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study demonstrates a substantial prevalence of test anxiety among students at GAMBY Medical and Business College. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and mental health support services within this PHEI to address both the cognitive (worry) and emotional (physiological arousal) dimensions of test anxiety, ultimately supporting student well-being and academic performance.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Prevalence and Dimensions of Test Anxiety among Medical and Business Students: A Case Study of GAMBY College, Ethiopia","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-27 13:04:28","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9232865/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d797c6aa-1a3e-4369-8811-275c81b85cde","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 27th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":65181291,"name":"Educational Psychology"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-11T09:24:59+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-27 13:04:28","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9232865","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9232865","identity":"rs-9232865","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}