STUDY SKILLS AND TEST ANXIETY AMONG GRADE 10

STUDENTS

A Senior High School Research Proposal Submitted to

BRYAN EPHRAEM E. MIGUEL
Faculty of the Senior High School Department
Cateel Vocational High School

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Subject

PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2
S.Y. 2022-2023

BADANG, Victoriano D.
CAM, Vincent P.
MANAOPANAO, Ailen A.
QUIMPO, Christine F.
SACAON, Cristy Joy M.

JANUARY 2023
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Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Among the different reports on change processes in new university

students, it was found that for most of them, changes represent a

positive effect on stress, as they perceive them as stimulating and

motivating; however, stress puts some of them in a vulnerable situation

both physically and mentally (Arco Tirado, López, Heilborn Díaz, y

Fernández Martín, 2005). The challenge of dealing with change and

adaptation causes academic performance issues in some students,

leading in many cases to learning difficulties or even forcing some to

drop out of university. In 2018, Mexico was the number one country in

university dropout rates amongst 21 countries. The report stated that

five out of ten young people were at risk of dropping out of school

(Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2019).

Anxiety can change and increase inside the school, since students may

perceive an evaluation of their level of competence as threatening,

especially if they expect negative consequences in case of poor

performance. It is estimated that 25% of university students in other

countries register high levels of test anxiety with a high tendency to fail

(Esacalona y Miguel-Tobal, 2006; Ramos y Pérez, 2009).

Students start learning some key skills at the beginning of their

degree which will help them later in their professional life, career and
 2

opportunities. Students will have more confidence, motivation,

engagement and achieve goals. Therefore, using a skill-based approach

can help students grasp concepts faster and strengthen what they

already know. Skills are necessary for every aspect of human life. These

skills allow us to do something right and well. Skills are learned and

developed in academia and work practices. Simply, if a student develops

skills well in a particular field, they can become an expert in it. Skills are

necessary for every aspect of human life. These skills allow us to do

something right and well. Skills are learned and developed in academia

and work practices. Simply, if a student develops skills well in a

particular field, they can become an expert in it. (Podareducation, 2021).

Generally, most of the study’s results mainly indicate a negative

relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement (Dodeen,

2014; Syokwaa, 2014; Shishigu, 2018; Oluoch, 2018). These research

findings imply that increase in test anxiety lowers academic achievement

of students. However, the findings in studies carried out by Ndirangu.

(2008) and Kavakci. (2014) found no relationship between test anxiety

and academic achievement of students. Several researchers explored

gender differences with respect to test anxiety and found that females

have higher levels of overall test anxiety than males (Syokwaa et al.,

2014).

The researcher conducted the study to know the cause of test

anxiety on students and how to improve their study skills. Furthermore,

 3

there is no study yet have conducted in Cateel Vocational High School

after the pandemic, specially concerning their significant relationship of

study skills and test anxiety.

Statement of the Problem

The main goal of the study is to determine a significant

relationship between the perceived level of study skills and level of test

anxiety among grade 10 students specifically, it will seek to answer the

following questions:

1. What is the perceived level of study skills among grade 10 students

in terms of:

1.1 reading comprehension;

1.2 memorization;

1.3 test taking; and

1.4 concentration management?

2. What is the level of test anxiety among grade 10 students in terms

of:

2.1 emotionality;

2.2 worry;

2.3 general anxiety; and

2.4 nervousness?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the perceived level of

study skills and level of test anxiety among grade 10 students?

 4

Hypothesis of the study

The study will test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance

which states that there is no significant relationship between the

perceived level of study skill and level of test anxiety among Grade 10

students.

Theoretical Framework

Skills-deficit model proposed that ineffective study habits of

students cause them to experience study habits of students cause them

to experience high level of test anxiety and results in poor test

performance. Test anxious students lack the ability performance. Test

anxious students lack the ability to learn and encode material

adequately; as a consequence, they are unable to retrieve poorly

consequence, they are unable to retrieve poorly learned material while

attempting the test (Culler & learned material while attempting the test

(Culler & Holahan, 1980; Desiderato & Koskinen, 1969; Wittmaier,

1972). According to Desiderato and Koskinen (1969) test anxiety is

caused by inappropriate study-related behaviors of students. It has been

reported that high test anxious individuals are deficient in effective study

skills and habits as are deficient in effective study skills and habits as

compared to less test anxious individuals. Ergene (2011) found that the

study habits and test anxiety are negatively related to each other.

Conceptual Framework
 5

First paragraph, most present the conceptual framework. The

independent variable is Study Skills with the following indicators: are

reading comprehension. Memorization, test taking, and concentration

management. The dependent variable is Test Anxiety with the following

indicators are Emotionality and Worry.

The Independent Variable is Study Skills with the following

indicators: are reading comprehension, memorization, test taking and

concentration management. Reading Comprehension, the students are

deeply involved the material they are studying. Memorization, the

students are trying to find personal meaning in the technical material to

help you remember it. Test Taking, the students usually read the test

directions very carefully. Concentration Management, the students have

ability to deal destructions that occur while they studying.

The Dependent Variable is Test Anxiety with the following

indicators: are Emotionality, Worry, General Anxiety and Nervousness.

Emotionality is when students felt jittery when they are taking the test.

While worry happens when students are frozen up on the test. General

Anxiety when students felt unsure and tense while taking the GRE

General test. Nervousness is being interviewed for a job or for admission

to graduate school.

Significance of the study

The result of the study are deemed beneficial to the following:

 6

Administrators. The result of this study will aid administrators in

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

STUDY SKILLS TEST ANXIETY

Reading Emotionality
Comprehension
Worry
Memorization
General Anxiety
Test Taking
Nervousness
Concentration
Management

Figure 1. conceptual Framework of the study.

 7

planning and crafting seminar or orientation to the teachers on how to

guide the students on their anxiety.

Teachers. Through the result of the study teachers will be aware

their student’s level of study skills and test anxiety is significantly

correlate with. If proven, teachers may from incorporate their lessons

with motivations as way to teach and motivate students to not give up on

things easily like stress-related academic performance which is one of

the academic problems the students are facing.

Students. The students would benefit in this study. They will

know how to control their emotional problems and give their time to

concentrate their study.

Future researcher. This study can serve as the guide to the future

researcher to see how study skills adhere to test anxiety. They can get

ideas which they can use and apply for their research.

Scope and Delimitations

This study is a Quantitative Descriptive-Correlational Research. It

aims to find a significant relationship between Study Skills and Test

Anxiety among Grade 10 Students of Cateel Vocational High School,

Cateel, Davao Oriental. This will involve 211 respondents. This will be

conducted on September 2022-January 2023. The researchers will be

using an adapted survey questionnaire.

 8

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined operationally to have the same

manner of reference:

Study Skills. In this study, study skills pertain to reading

comprehension, memorization, test taking, and concentration

management. This is the independent variable of the study.

Test Anxiety. In this study, test anxiety pertains to emotionality,

worry, general anxiety and nervousness. This is the dependent variable

of the study.
 9

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents discussion about the study which are taken

from various sources such as books, journals, online journals, and new

articles. Further this section presents the discussion on the independent

variable, study skills, dependent variable, test anxiety, and correlation

between measures.

Study Skills

No two people study the same way, and there is little doubt that

what works for one person may not work for another. However, there are

some general techniques that seem to produce good results. Every

subject that a student is going to enroll would be so interesting that

studying it is not work but pleasure. Everyone is different, and for some

students, studying and being motivated to learn comes naturally.

Success in high school and college is dependent on one’s ability to study

effectively and efficiently. The results of poor study skills are wasted

time, frustration, and low or failing grades. Effective study skills must

be practiced in order for one to improve. It is not enough to simply "think

about" studying but one has to actually do it, and in the process use

information to get better performance. Success in school requires

effective studying. Effective studying results in learning (Kizlik, 2011).

 10

Study habits are well planned and deliberate pattern of study

which has attained a form of consistency on the part of the students

towards understanding academic subjects and passing the examination

(Bashir & Mattoo, 2012). Good study habits and environment should

prevail among the schools, and school students are continuously faced

with the problem of mass failure, poor school grades and incessant

repetitions, and thus subsequent withdrawals from school.

One of the outcomes is the students’ academic performance which

refers to the accomplishment or proficiency in a given skill or body of

knowledge usually designated by test scores or marks assigned by

teachers (Diansay, as cited by Amigable, 2009).

Reading Comprehension. Reading comprehension is the ability to

read text, process it and understand its meaning. It relies on two,

interconnected abilities: word reading (being able to decode the symbols

on the page) and language comprehension (being able to understand the

meaning of the words and sentences). When we make sense of a text,

however, we don’t just remember the exact words and phrases we read.

Rather, we form a mental model of what the text describes by integrating

the sense of the words and sentences into a meaningful whole, like a film

that plays in our head. Good comprehension is vital if reading is to have

a purpose, if a reader is to engage with and learn from a text and,

ultimately, if a reader is to enjoy what they’re reading. For more

 11

information about the nature of comprehension, an excellent

introduction is provided by Understanding and Teaching Reading

Comprehension: A handbook by Jane Oakhill, Kate Cain and Carsten

Elbro (Routledge, 2014).

Memorization. Rote memorization of social rules or other

strategies will not result in social success. In fact, memorization of social

skills may lead to awkward social interactions that are rigid and

unnatural. Teaching strategies should incorporate generalization of

social skills across a wide variety of situations and exemplars, and

flexible responding within social situations should be taught and

reinforced. Role-play and in vivo application are essential for social skills

instruction to be meaningful. However, specific scenarios that are role-

played should change constantly. Especially for more advanced social

skills, there is no need to rehearse particular scenarios until the learner

can go through them accurately; practice new ones constantly.

Additionally, learners should not memorize how to respond in every

social situation but, instead, should learn how to recognize the critical

components occurring within any given social situation and how to

respond accordingly (Jennifer Yakos, 2014).

Test Taking. Test-taking skills are cognitive skills that allow

students to undertake any test-taking situation in an appropriate

manner, and to know what to do before, during, and after the test
 12

(Dodeen, 2009). These skills help students to translate their knowledge

from classroom learning to answering and responding to questions when

taking tests. Test-taking skills positively affect students’ test-taking

competency and hence impact upon their academic achievement. Test-

taking skills are transferable skills (Sefcik, Bice & Prerost, 2013), where

once acquired, students may be enabled to use these skills across a

variety of subjects and within different settings and conditions.

Moreover, most test-taking skills are useful in a students’ practical life,

where they may benefit their effective use of time, ability to set priorities,

ability to work both fast and accurately, and to make sure ideas become

directly evident.

Concentration Management. The management concentration

prepares you for careers across the corporate, nonprofit, and public

sectors. You'll learn the ins and outs of leadership and decision making,

discover how to manage teams and human resources, and become an

expert in operations and communications across domestic and

international business. Your education will be grounded in the staples of

business education while exploring contemporary and emerging

management trends. (Mitchell, 2022).

Test Anxiety.
 13

Test anxiety is a psychological condition in which people

experience extreme distress and anxiety in testing situations. While

many people experience some degree of stress and anxiety before and

during examinations, test anxiety can actually impair learning and hurt

test performance. Test anxiety is an overwhelming feeling of disturbance

and distress among students globally and can be a devastating problem

for them because it may impair their performance and their wellbeing

later in life in the long run (Farooqi, Ghani, & Spielberger, 2012; Rafiq,

Ghazai, & Farooqi, 2007).

According to (Cohen, 2005), test anxiety can adversely affect people

in every field of life whenever and wherever people of all ages and strata

have to be evaluated, assessed and graded in terms of their abilities,

achievements or interests.

Alvarez, Carrion, Casanova, Rubio, Miras, Salas (2008) define test

anxiety as an internalizing behavior among students and a major

emotional problem with a negative effect on learning. It is seen as

reaction of an emotional negative character, generated before the

expectation created by the presence of a test, and that makes many

students perceive it as a threat to the person. Test anxiety is the reaction

to stimuli associated with a persons’ experience of test or evaluation

procedure (Stangier, Clark, Ehlers 2006).

 14

Test anxiety is an undesirable reaction toward evaluation. It’s the

most important problem that is faced by the students in their education

worldwide (Khosravi & Bigdeli, 2008). Test anxiety is a psychological

condition in which students experience extreme distress and anxiety in

test situations. A little anxiety during exams is required that will help

students to get motivated and learn. Mounting up so much of anxiety will

not help the student to perform rather it will influence the academic

performance negatively (Coon & Mitterer, 2009). The psychological

symptoms that build up in students before a test includes restlessness,

unusual body movements, difficulty in concentrating, insomnia, fatigue,

muscle contraction, abdominal pain, and tremors (Porto, 2013). These

symptoms have negative consequences on student lives and professional

growth (Ferreira, Almondes, Braga, Mata, Lemos & Maia, 2014).

Emotionally. Emotionality includes a variety of subjective feeling

states that predictably influence observable behavior and physiological

responses for functional purposes related to adaptation. Emotions

typically involve multiple components including autonomic, hormonal,

behavioral, and cognitive component. Physiological signs of emotions

may include change in autonomic nervous system activity which

includes changes in heart rate, muscle tension, perspiration, and

metabolic changes. Ekman’s research on the cross-cultural invariance of

emotional identification and expression is suggestive of emotions as a

 15

species-typical response. The coordination of the emotional state is

facilitated by the amygdala. The amygdala, a cluster of nuclei in the

limbic system near the temporal lobes, has been found to be important

for eliciting a cascade of physiological changes involved in emotional

behavior. (Scott L. Dicker & Catherine Cadenhead, 2011).

Worry. Human beings have the amazing ability to think about

future events. 'Thinking ahead’ means that we can anticipate obstacles

or problems, and gives us the opportunity to plan solutions. When it

helps us to achieve our goals, ‘thinking ahead’ can be helpful. For

example, hand washing and social distancing are helpful things that we

can decide to do in order to prevent the spread of the virus. However,

worrying is a way of 'thinking ahead' that often leaves us feeling anxious

or apprehensive. When we worry excessively, we often think about worst

case scenarios and feel that we won't be able to cope (Psychological tools

2020).

Excessive worry, focused on multiple everyday events, is a basic

cognitive characteristic of generalized anxiety disorder (American

Psychiatric Association, 2013; Grol, et al., 2018. The other basic

characteristic of anxiety is emotionality which denotes increased

physiological arousal and symptoms as well as affective reactions

(Bonaccio, Reeve, & Winford, 2012; Brodish & Devine, 2009). Worry

refers to a string of repetitive negatively affect-laden images and thoughts

 16

that are difficult to control (Thompson, Webber, & Montgomery, 2005;

Barahmand, 2008). Worry represents an effort to engage in mental

problem solving of a problem whose consequences are vague or

uncertain (Grol, 2018).It usually involves conscious expectation of

possible negative outcomes or fear of failure (Williams, 2006;

Barahmand, 2008).

General Anxiety. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) lists separation anxiety, selective

mutism, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder (also called social

phobia), panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety, substance

abuse/medication-induced anxiety, and anxiety disorder caused by

another medical condition in its chapter on anxiety disorders (APA 2013).

Anxiety disorders are also associated with several medical illnesses

such as thyroid disease and respiratory disease. This association leads to

increased disability and decreased quality of life (Saren 2006).

One study found that patients with anxiety disorders and

depression had higher rates of somatic disease such as asthma, heart

disease, back problems, ulcer, migraines, and eyesight problems (Niles

2015).
 17

Comorbidity is common among anxiety disorders. A study of

primary care patients assessed the impact of several anxiety disorders,

with one of them being GAD. The study included 965 patients who

completed the GAD-7 questionnaire. Generalized anxiety disorder was

present in 7.6% of patients. Of importance, one-third of the patients with

one anxiety disorder had at least one other; thus, comorbidity among

patients is common. This finding underscores the need for careful and

complete assessments of patients thought to have an anxiety disorder to

ensure that all issues are identified (Spitzer 2006).

Nervousness. Nervousness is a natural response to a stressful

event. It’s temporary and resolves once the stress has passed. It can be

controlled, even if you’re someone who is more prone to nervous feelings.

While nervousness is a common symptom of anxiety disorders, they’re

not the same thing. Anxiety disorders are psychiatric disorders that

develop from a number of complex factors, including genetics, brain

chemistry, and life events. Anxiety disorders are long-lasting and

uncontrollable without treatment. People with an anxiety disorder often

experience severe feelings of nervousness or worry. These feelings can

come on frequently and without an obvious stressor. People may also

experience a number of pronounced physical and mental symptoms that

impact their ability to function (Timothy J. Legg 2019).

Correlation Between Measures

 18

The researcher studied the relationship between the study habits

and test anxiety of the physical education students studying at senior

secondary level. The findings of the study revealed that there is negative

relationship between the study habits and test anxiety of male and

female physical education students studying at senior secondary level.

The 'r' value between the study habits and test anxiety of the male

physical education students is found to be negative but statistically

significant 0.01level. In the same way the 'r' value between the study

habits and test anxiety of the female physical education students is also

found to be negative but statistically significant at 0.01level. Thus, it can

be inferred that male and female physical education students having

good study habits have low level of test anxiety. These findings are

supported by the findings of Lawrence A. (2014) shows that there is no

significant difference between higher secondary school boys and girls in

their study habits and test anxiety.

The researcher found that the test anxiety of girls was higher than

the boys. The findings of the study support the findings of Devine etal.

(2012), Baskar (2012), Surjit Singh (2010) and Mark Chapell (2005). As

the study revealed that there is a negative correlation between study

habits and test anxiety, we can say that the academic performance will

get affected negatively because of high level of test anxiety and poor

study habits. We can observe that the teenagers of present generation

 19

are more active with social media sites and the use of various electronic

gadgets leading to poor study habits because of poor time management

and when they encounter any evaluative situation their test anxiety level

becomes higher as they also experience a high pressure from parents

and society to perform better. Finally, this condition may lead to the

state of depression as these youths are unable to fulfill the desire of their

parents and the society. Hence, this can be concluded that proper

guidance and counseling facility should be available to the students, so

that they can manage their time as well as energy in a proper way, to

develop better study habits and to control their level of test anxiety.

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research methodology that will be used

in this study. This shall include research design, research locale and

duration, sampling and sampling technique, research instruments, data

gathering procedure, and statistical treatment of data.

Research Design

This study will be used quantitative descriptive-correlational

research as research design. According to Gay (2012) descriptive

research is survey research. This research involves collecting data in

order to test hypotheses or to answer questions about the opinions of

people about some topic or issue. Also, Creswell (2012) stated that
 20

survey research designs are procedures in quantitative research in which

investigators administer a survey to a sample or to the entire population

of people to describe the attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or characteristics

of the population.

Correlational research, on the other hand, is research which

purpose is to find out the relationship between two or more variables and

their cause and effect. In addition, Creswell (2012) states that a

correlation is a statistical test to determine the tendency or pattern for

two (or more) variables or two sets of data to vary consistently.

Research Locale and Duration

This study is conducted at Cateel Vocational High School, Castro

Ave., Poblacion, Cateel, Davao Oriental. Furthermore, the data will be

gathered from September 2022 to January 2023. Figure 2 shows the

map of Davao Oriental highlighting the Municipality of Cateel.

Sampling and Sampling Technique

The respondents of the study are Grade 10 students from Cateel

Vocational High School, Cateel, Davao Oriental. A total of 211

respondents

will be selected through stratified random sampling technique. According

Robles (2009), Stratified random sampling is a method of sampling that

involves the division of a population into smaller subgroups known as

strata. In stratified random sampling, or stratification, the strata are

formed based on members’ shared attributes or characteristics, such as

 21

income or educational attainment. Stratified random sampling has

numerous applications and benefits, such as studying population

demographics and life expectancy (Hayes A. 2022).

There will be 114 males, and 97 females to be included in the

study. Table 1 shows the distribution of respondents.

Table 1. Distribution of Respondents

Gender Number Percentage
Male 114 54%
 22

Figure 2. Map of Davao Oriental highlighting Cateel and Cateel

Vocational High School.

Female 97 46%
Total 211 100%

Research Instruments

The main research instrument used in the study are two adapted

survey questionnaires. The questionnaire of the independent variable,

study skills, is adapted from McCombs and Dobrovolny (1980) with the

following indicators: reading comprehension, memorization, test taking,

and concentration management.

The following Likert scale used to interpret the mean for study

skills:

Range of Means Description Interpretation

The level of SS is far above the
4.20 - 5.00 Very High
expected level
The level of SS is above the
3.40 – 4.19 High
expected level
The level of SS is within the
2.60 – 3.39 Moderate
expected level
The level of SS is below the
1.80 – 2.59 Low
expected level
1.00 – 1.79 Very Low The level of SS is far below the
 23

expected level

The questionnaire of the dependent variable, test anxiety, is

adapted from Power (1986) with the following indicators: emotionality,

worry, general anxiety, and nervousness.

The following Likert scale will be used to interpret the mean for

test anxiety:

Range of Means Description Interpretation

The extent use of test anxiety is
4.20 - 5.00 Very High
manifested always
The extent use of test anxiety is
3.40 – 4.19 High
manifested most of the times
The extent use of test anxiety is
2.60 – 3.39 Moderate
manifested sometimes
The extent use of test anxiety is
1.80 – 2.59 Low
manifested at long interval of times
The extent use of test anxiety is
1.00 – 1.79 Very Low
never manifested

The research instruments to be used will undergo both validity and

reliability test. To achieve validity, a pool of experts will check the

content and language of the survey questionnaires. To achieve reliability

test, a pilot test of the questionnaires will be conducted to 20 non-

respondents of

the study. Once the pilot test is done, its result shall be computed using

Cronbach’s Alpha.

Data Gathering Procedure

The following steps will be followed to collect the data:

 24

1. Seeking permission to conduct the study. The researchers shall

send a letter asking permission to conduct the study to the

principal of Cateel Vocational High School.

2. Administration and Distribution of questionnaire. Once the

letter of permission is approved by the principal, the researchers

shall administer and distribute the questionnaires to the selected

respondents of the study.

3. Retrieval of questionnaires. After the respondents are done

answering the questionnaires, the researchers will then retrieve it.

These questionnaires will be tallied and submitted to the

statistician for interpretation of results.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The following statistical tools will be used:

Mean. This statistical tool will be utilized to determine the level of

study skill and test anxiety among grade 10 students. Furthermore, this

will be used to answer statements of the problem one (1) and two (2).

Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. This

statistical tool will be employed to seek a significant relationship between

study skill and test anxiety among grade 10 students. This will also be

used to answer statement of the problem number three (3).

 25

Chapter 4

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS

Presented in this chapter is the presentation and analysis of

findings of the study. The following headings center the discussion: level

of study skills, level of test anxiety, and significance of the relationship

between study skills and test anxiety.

Level of Teacher Engagement

Table 2 presents the descriptive analysis of the level of study skills

among grade 10 students which is measured according to reading

comprehension, memorization, test taking and concentration

management. The analysis revealed that the level of study skills is 3.57

or high. This means that the level of study skills is above the expected

level. According to Kizlik (2011), No two people study the same way, and

there is little doubt that what works for one person may not work for

another. However, there are some general techniques that seem to

produce good results. Every subject that a student is going to enroll

would be so interesting that studying it is not work but pleasure.

Everyone is different, and for some students, studying and being

motivated to learn comes naturally. Success in high school and college is

dependent on one’s ability to study effectively and efficiently. The results

of poor study skills are wasted time, frustration, and low or failing

grades. Effective study skills must be practiced in order for one to

 26

improve. It is not enough to simply "think about" studying but one has to

actually do it, and in the process use information to get better

performance. Success in school requires effective studying. Effective

studying results in learning.

Table 2. Level of Study Skills

Descriptive
Indicators Mean SD
Equivalent
Reading
3.52 0.58 High
Comprehension

Memorization 3.61 0.64 High

Test Taking 3.62 0.57 High

Concentration
3.54 0.59 High
Management

OVERALL 3.57 0.52 High

Reading Comprehension. The descriptive analysis of the level of

reading comprehension among grade 10 students yielded a mean of 3.52

or high. This means that the level of study skills in terms of reading

comprehension is far above the expected level. According to Routledge

(2014), Reading comprehension is the ability to read text, process it and

understand its meaning. It relies on two, interconnected abilities: word

reading (being able to decode the symbols on the page) and language

comprehension (being able to understand the meaning of the words and

sentences). When we make sense of a text, however, we don’t just

 27

remember the exact words and phrases we read. Rather, we form a

mental model of what the text describes by integrating the sense of the

words and sentences into a meaningful whole, like a film that plays in

our head. Good comprehension is vital if reading is to have a purpose, if

a reader is to engage with and learn from a text and, ultimately, if a

reader is to enjoy what they’re reading.

Memorization. In terms of the indicator memorization, the mean

posted a value of 3.61 or high. This means that the level of study skills in

terms of memorization is above the expected level. According to Jennifer

Yakos (2014), Rote memorization of social rules or other strategies will

not result in social success. In fact, memorization of social skills may

lead to awkward social interactions that are rigid and unnatural.

Teaching strategies should incorporate generalization of social skills

across a wide variety of situations and exemplars, and flexible

responding within social situations should be taught and reinforced.

Role-play and in vivo application are essential for social skills instruction

to be meaningful. However, specific scenarios that are role-played should

change constantly. Especially for more advanced social skills, there is no

need to rehearse particular scenarios until the learner can go through

them accurately; practice new ones constantly. Additionally, learners

should not memorize how to respond in every social situation but,

instead, should learn how to recognize the critical components occurring

within any given social situation and how to respond accordingly.

 28

Test Taking. This indicator attained a mean of 3.62 or high. This

means that the level of study skills in terms of test taking is far above the

expected level. According to Dodeen (2009), Test-taking skills are

cognitive skills that allow students to undertake any test-taking situation

in an appropriate manner, and to know what to do before, during, and

after the test.

Concentration Management. In terms of concentration

management, its mean posted a value of 3.54 or high. This means that

the level of study skills in terms of concentration management is far

above the expected level. According to Hamline (2022), The management

concentration prepares you for careers across the corporate, nonprofit,

and public sectors. You'll learn the ins and outs of leadership and

decision making, discover how to manage teams and human resources,

and become an expert in operations and communications across

domestic and international business. Your education will be grounded in

the staples of business education while exploring contemporary and

emerging management trends.

Level of Test Anxiety

Table 3 presents the descriptive analysis of the level of test anxiety

among grade 10 students when analyzed according to emotionality,

worry, general anxiety and nervousness. The analysis revealed that the
 29

overall level of test anxiety is 3.56 or high. This means that the level of

test anxiety is far above the expected level. According to Akinsola &

Nwajei (2013), Test anxiety is a psychological condition that can affect

people from every sphere of life. It brings about excessive distress and

anxiety when an individual is about to write a test, during the test taking

process and even after the test has been taken.

Table 2. Level of Test Anxiety

Descriptive
Indicators Mean SD
Equivalent

Emotionality 3.56 0.59 High

Worry 3.55 0.62 High

General Anxiety 3.53 0.70 High

Nervousness 3.60 0.67 High

OVERALL 3.56 0.55 High

Emotionality. The descriptive analysis of the level of emotionality

among grade 10 students yielded a mean of 3.56 or high. This means

that the level of test anxiety in terms of emotionality is above the

expected level. According to Scott L. Dicker & Catherine Cadenhead

(2011), Emotionality includes a variety of subjective feeling states that

predictably influence observable behavior and physiological responses for

functional purposes related to adaptation. Emotions typically involve

multiple components including autonomic, hormonal, behavioral, and

 30

cognitive component. Physiological signs of emotions may include change

in autonomic nervous system activity which includes changes in heart

rate, muscle tension, perspiration, and metabolic changes. Ekman’s

research on the cross-cultural invariance of emotional identification and

expression is suggestive of emotions as a species-typical response. The

coordination of the emotional state is facilitated by the amygdala. The

amygdala, a cluster of nuclei in the limbic system near the temporal

lobes, has been found to be important for eliciting a cascade of

physiological changes involved in emotional behavior.

Worry. In terms of the indicator worry, the mean posted a value of

3.55 or high. This means that the level of test anxiety in terms of worry is

above the expected level. According to Behar (2009), Worry is the

cognitive response to fear and anxiety. Worry involves negative mental

images and emotions. Although some might think of worry as a cause of

anxiety, worry appears to be an attempt at self-protection from the more

catastrophic consequences of the feared object.

General Anxiety. This indicator attained a mean of 3.53 or high.

This means that the level of test anxiety in terms of general anxiety is far

above the expected level. According to APA (2013), The Diagnostic and

Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) lists

separation anxiety, selective mutism, specific phobia, social anxiety

disorder (also called social phobia), panic disorder, agoraphobia,

 31

generalized anxiety, substance abuse/medication-induced anxiety, and

anxiety disorder caused by another medical condition in its chapter on

anxiety disorders

Nervousness. In terms of nervousness, its mean posted a value of

3.60 or high. This means that the level of test anxiety in terms of

nervousness is far above the expected level. According to Timothy J. Legg

(2019), Nervousness is a natural response to a stressful event. It’s

temporary and resolves once the stress has passed. It can be controlled,

even if you’re someone who is more prone to nervous feelings. While

nervousness is a common symptom of anxiety disorders, they’re not the

same thing. Anxiety disorders are psychiatric disorders that develop from

a number of complex factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, and

life events. Anxiety disorders are long-lasting and uncontrollable without

treatment. People with an anxiety disorder often experience severe

feelings of nervousness or worry. These feelings can come on frequently

and without an obvious stressor. People may also experience a number

of pronounced physical and mental symptoms that impact their ability to

function

Significance of Relationship
between Study Skills and
Test Anxiety
Presented in table 4 is the correlational analysis between the level

of study skills and test anxiety among grade 10 students. Results

revealed a P-value of 0.000 which is below the tabular value of 0.05. this
 32

means that there is a significant relationship between the level of study

skills and test anxiety. Furthermore, this means that the null hypothesis

is rejected.

The result of the study supported the claims of Culler & Holahan,

(1980); Desiderato & Koskinen, (1969); Wittmaier. (1972) Skills-deficit

model proposed that ineffective study habits of students cause them to

experience study habits of students cause them to experience high level

of test anxiety and results in poor test performance. Test anxious

students lack the ability performance. Test anxious students lack the

ability to learn and encode material adequately; as a consequence, they

are unable to retrieve poorly consequence, they are unable to retrieve

poorly learned material while attempting the test. According to

Desiderato and Koskinen (1969) test anxiety is caused by inappropriate

study-related behaviors of students. It has been reported that high test

anxious individuals are deficient in effective study skills and habits as

are deficient in effective study skills and habits as compared to less test

anxious individuals. Ergene (2011) found that the study habits and test

anxiety are negatively related to each other.

Table 4. Significance of Relationship between Study Skills and Test

anxiety
Variable P-value r-value Decision
Study Skills
0.000 0.761 Reject
Test Anxiety
 33

Chapter 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Presented in this chapter are the summary, conclusions and

recommendations based on the analysis and findings of the study.

Summary

The main goal of the study is to determine a significant

relationship between the level of study skills and test anxiety among

grade 10 students. More specifically, it sought to answer the following

questions:

1. What is the level of study skills in terms of:

1.1 reading comprehension,

1.2 memorization,

1.3 test taking, and

1.4 concentration management?

2. What is the level of test anxiety in terms of:

2.1 emotionality,

2.2 worry,

2.3 general anxiety, and

2.4 nervousness?
 34

3. Is there a significant relationship between the level of study

skills and test anxiety among grade 10 students?

This study used quantitative descriptive-correlation as research

design. This involved 211 grade 10 students in Cateel which were

selected through simple random sampling technique. Two adapted

survey questionnaires were used to gather the data. The following are the

findings of the study:

1. The descriptive analysis results for the level of study skills

posted an overall mean of 3.57. More specifically, its indicators

attained the following mean: reading comprehension is 3.52, ….

2. The level of test anxiety yielded an overall mean of 3.56. Its

indicators gained the following mean: emotionality is 3.56…

3. The correlational analysis of the level of study skills and test

anxiety yielded a p-value of 0.000.

Conclusions

Based on the findings of the study, the researchers made the

following conclusions:

1. The level of study skills is high

2. The level of test anxiety is high

3. There is a significant relationship between the level of study skills

and test anxiety.

Recommendations
 35

Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the

researchers made the following recommendations to selected group of

individuals:

1. Administrators. may aid administrators in planning and crafting

seminar or orientation to the teachers on how to guide the

students on their anxiety.

2. Teachers. may aware if their student’s level of study skills and test

anxiety is significantly correlate with. If proven, teachers may from

incorporate their lessons with motivations as way to teach and

motivate students to not give up on things easily like stress-related

academic performance which is one of the academic problems the

students are facing.

3. Students. The students would benefit in this study. They will know

how to control their emotional problems and give their time to

concentrate their study.

4. Future researcher. This study can serve as the guide to the future

researcher to see how study skills adhere to test anxiety. They can

get ideas which they can use and apply for their research.
 36

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