Predictors and correlates of examination anxiety and depression among high school students taking the Sudanese national board examination in Khartoum state, Sudan: a cross-sectional study.

Autor: Bashir MBA; Discipline of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine University of Khartoum, Sudan.; Section for Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine (EPSO), The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden., Albadawy IMAH; Discipline of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine University of Khartoum, Sudan., Cumber SN; Section for Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine (EPSO), The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.; School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria Private Bag X323, Gezina, Pretoria, 0001, Pretoria, South Africa.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The Pan African medical journal [Pan Afr Med J] 2019 May 29; Vol. 33, pp. 69. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 May 29 (Print Publication: 2019).
DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2019.33.69.17516
Abstrakt: Introduction: Test anxiety and depression are of the major challenges experienced in students' life, considering the inverse associations they have on their mental wellbeing and academic performance. Evidence from Sudan have reported high figures of adolescent's mental health problems of depression and anxiety. However, studies investigating its association with academic exam stress are lacking. We investigated the prevalence of exam anxiety and depression severity among student setting for Sudan national boarding examination, aiming at identifying possible predictors related to student's socio-demographic and academic status and measuring correlation between exam anxiety and depression severity status among students.
Methods: Using cross-sectional design, data obtained using standardized west side anxiety scale for measuring test anxiety; and patient's health questionnaire (PHQ9) of nine items for measuring depression was presented in percentages. Association with sociodemographic and academic factors was measured using logistic regression models. Analysis was run at 0.05 level of significance.
Results: Depression and exam anxiety were found to be highly correlated. The highest fractions of students are those with high levels of test anxiety and moderate to severe depression. Gender, maternal level of education, previous exam experience and academic performance are significant predictor for student's exam anxiety status.
Conclusion: High figures of exam anxiety and depression are there among Sudanese students setting for their third years boarding exam. Males, low academic performance and maternal low education are risk factors. School mental health services and programs addressing such group of students are highly demanded in line with more elaborative research efforts in this arena.
Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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