CHANGES IN ANXIETY LEVELS THROUGH THE EDUCATION YEARS IN THE MPHARM PROGRAMME
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijcpr.2019v11i4.34951Keywords:
Academic performance, Student experience, AnxietyAbstract
Objective: Over 8.2 million people were affected by anxiety in the UK in 2013 and it is currently the world has most experienced mental health disorder. Previous research has indicated that a rising level of anxiety in higher education students is resulting in decreased academic success and progress. This research explores student’s perceptions of whether anxiety levels change throughout their course, whether it improves or worsens from the first year to the final year in the course and its effect on academic achievements.
Methods: A survey-based approach was taken with questionnaires handed out to students in their 4th year of the MPharm programme at the University of Wolverhampton.
Results: Fifty completed questionnaires were analysed by age, gender and ethnicity in order to identify patterns and trends. The results were in conformity with previous research findings that anxiety severity increases through education years and it is affecting educational performance and progress. There were68% of all students who participated stated they were currently experiencing anxiety and 86% of those stating their anxiety was now worse than it was in their sixth form years. On average, participants chose a minimum of four factors that triggered anxious episodes; 36% of participants stated that anxiety affected their grades all of the time and 44% were affected during written exams only.
Conclusion: This study suggests further research into anxiety is needed to address this growing phenomenon and mechanisms are needed in order to accommodate the needs of students who are affected.
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References
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