ANXIETY LEVEL AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

OF GRADE 11 STEM LEARNERS

OF CVSU-LSHS

Research Project
Submitted to the Faculty of the
College of Education
Cavite State University
Indang Cavite

In partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the course
Research in Mathematics
(BSEM 38)

ACOPRA, JERALD A.
CARILLO, LEE JAYCE E.
MATIAS, NHILET B.
PACION, JULES IVAN C.
SALGADO, LORENZO MIGUEL R.
TIONGSON, PAUL ENRICK O.

JUNE 2023

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Title : Anxiety Level and Academic Performance of Grade 11
STEM Learners of CvSU - LSHS
Researchers : Jerald A. Acopra, Lee Jayce E. Carillo, Nhilet B. Matias,
Jules Ivan C. Pacion, Paul Enrick O. Tiongson, Lorenzo
Miguel R. Salgado
Degree : Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in Mathematics
Year : 2023 - 2024
Adviser : Dr. Jake Raymund F. Fabregar,

ABSTRACT
Anxiety is one of the major predictors of academic performance. Learners

with anxiety shows a passive attitude in their studies such as lack of interest in

learning, poor performance in exams, and on assignments. This study observes the

relationship between anxiety level and students’ academic performance. The test to

find out a significant correlation of anxiety and academic performance was carried

out among Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learners. A

total of 62 learners participated in this study. They are Grade 11 learners from STEM

strand at Cavite State University-Laboratory Science High School (CvSU-LSHS). The

study, anxiety level was measured using adopted instrument. Meanwhile, students’

academic performance was obtained by requesting their grades in Pre –Calculus to

the school principal. The results show that there is a significant correlation of low

anxiety level and high academic performance among the participants in Pre –

Calculus, with significant correlation (p-value=0.000) and the spearman correlation

coefficient with r = −0.669. The low and negative correlation between anxiety level

and academic performance suggested the higher the grades of the students, there

will be lower manifestation of anxiety.

Key words: Anxiety Level, Academic Performance, STEM, Adopted Instrument, Pre-
Calculus

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INTRODUCTION
Mathematics anxiety is one of the major predictors of academic performance

in mathematics and science domains; a vital component of Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand as most of its areas rely on utilizing

and employing mathematical thinking. Despite the fact that there is a significant

demand for STEM graduates, the declining interest of students in STEM studies

becomes a major factor on learner’s decreasing academic achievement. Student’s

academic performance plays an important role in producing highest quality graduates

who will become a great leader or an effectual member of society, as it reflects

educational system’s success in targeting and attention to individual needs (Aloka et

al., 2018). Understanding the current state and determinants of academic

achievement among students is essential for successful and effective intervention in

bringing quality education (Muhdin, 2016). The prevalence of anxiety among senior

high school students has been acknowledged by the students and educators.

However, even though anxiety is a real phenomenon, little is known that there exist a

possible association of high level of anxiety and academic performance among

students particularly related to the sources of anxiety.

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent, critical, and influential emotion related to

academics. Students with anxiety-related condition tend to exhibit a passive attitude

in their academics, such as lack of interest in learning, poor performance in

examination, and on assignments (Vitasari et al., 2010). More specifically, as

defined by Vitasari et al. “student anxiety” –as opposed to general anxiety– as

feelings, thoughts, and experience that create and affects apprehension during study

course experiences, and that subsequently influence academic performance

(Khoshlessan, 2017). The effects of anxiety on the students’ academe are a major

predictor in their academic performance. Substantially, most of the study’s result

mainly indicates a negative relationship between level of anxiety and students’

3
academic achievement. Students with high level of anxiety possesses a reduced

memory span, lower concentration, lack of confidence, and poor reasoning power

(Vitasari et al., 2010). Nevertheless, this study considers of determining the

correlation of student anxiety and academic performance in senior high school level

of STEM, particularly in specialized mathematics subjects.

Previous studies demonstrated that students with higher level of anxiety tend

to attain lower marks on their end-of-semester examinations. However, few

researches have investigated the relationship between of mathematics anxiety –

specifically on specialized subjects of STEM strand– and students’ academic

achievement with relation to sources of anxiety. Furthermore, the researchers seek

to determine relating factors for STEM students to overcome the possibility of

mathematics anxiety and potential difference in those variables.

With concepts and studies related to the topic, understanding the status and

determinants of anxiety level of the students in relation to academic performance is

essential in bringing successful and effectual quality of education.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to examine the relationship between the anxiety levels and

academic performances of the STEM learners of CvSU-LSHS in their specialized

mathematics subject. Specifically, it will answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the participants in terms of:

1.1. Sex

1.2. Location of Residence

1.3. Type of Curriculum

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

2.1. Difficulty in Mathematics

2.2. Learner’s Self-Esteem

2.3. School Environment

3. What is the academic performance of the participants in the specialized

mathematics subject?

4. Is there any significant difference on the following variables when grouped

according to the demographic profiles:

4.1. Level of Anxiety

4.2. Academic Performance

5. Is there any significant relationship between anxiety level and academic

performance?

Hypotheses

This study mainly aims to determine the relationship of the anxiety levels and

the academic performances of STEM learners of CvSU-LSHS in their specialized

mathematics subject.

1: There is no significant difference in the following variables when grouped

according to demographic profiles.

2: There is no significant relationship between anxiety level and academic

performance.

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Theoretical Framework

The study is anchored from one of the theories, the Yerkes-Dodson Law

(Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). It is a well-known finding in the psychology literature. In

summary, the law suggests that performance increases with mental arousal (stress)

but only up to a point. When an individuals’ level of stress is too low or too high, their

performance deteriorates.

According to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, there is a perfect amount of arousal or

anxiety needed to perform at your best on a given activity. However, excessive worry

can have a negative impact on performance, while insufficient anxiety might lead to

low performance and a lack of drive. Since mathematics is frequently a difficult topic

that demands a certain amount of cognitive and emotional arousal to perform well,

this theory is especially pertinent to the research of anxiety and academic

performance among STEM learners with their specialized mathematics subject. To

comprehend the relationship between anxiety and academic performance in this

setting, the study may also make use of other pertinent theories, such as the

cognitive load theory and the social learning theory.

Another theory, Catastrophe theory by Fazey and Hardy’s (1988), proposes

that cognitive anxiety acts as the splitting factor that determines whether the effect of

physiological arousal will be small and smooth, large, and catastrophic or somewhere

between these two extremes (Fazey & Hardy, 1988). Stated in statistical terms,

cognitive anxiety is conceptualized as a moderator of the relationship between

physiological arousal and performance. When cognitive anxiety is low the model

predicts that the relationship between physiological arousal and performance should

be uniform or inverted-U shaped. When physiological arousal is high on the day of

competition, the model predicts a negative correlation between high cognitive anxiety

and performance. When physiological arousal is low during the days prior to

competition, the model predicts that cognitive anxiety should lead to enhanced

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performance. Finally, when cognitive anxiety is elevated, the model predicts that the

effect of physiological arousal upon group performance could be either positive or

negative depending on how high cognitive anxiety reaches (Hardy, 1990).

With the aforementioned theories above, the study used these theories as a

basis and foundation to find out whether anxiety has a relationship with STEM

students' ability to perform academically in their specialized mathematics courses.

Conceptual Framework

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

The concept of the study is focused on demographic profile, anxiety level and

academic performance of Grade 11 learners of CvSU-LSHS. The figure shows that

the independent variable in this study is the anxiety level and demographic profile

which consists of sex, location of residence, and type of curriculum. On the other

hand, the dependent variable is the academic performance of the participants.

7
Study Limitations

This study focused on the relationship between the anxiety level with regards

to academic performance. The participants were from the Grade 11 - STEM learners

of CVSU - LSHS, with the total population of sixty-two (62) individuals that comes

from two (2) sections. The researcher examined the entire population. This was

conducted on the 2nd semester of the Academic Year 2022 - 2023.

Significance of the Study

The study investigates the relationship between students’ anxiety level and

their academic performance specifically in their Specialized Mathematics subject

(Pre-Calculus).

The result of the study can be of great help and contribution specifically in

providing valuable information and data to the academic community.

With the findings of this study, it aims to provide significant information the
following:
For the students, who are in similar situation, the findings may give them a

realization on how to overcome the difficulties they may encounter or already

encountering so that it may no longer affect their academic performance.

The teachers, since the results of the study will make them aware of their

roles and responsibilities as mentors of youth and help them overcome their fear

and/or difficulties. In addition, the results may help teachers on how they will motivate

the students to perform well in their academics and finish their studies. Moreover, this

will give them vital information on the factors that would likely affect the performance

of the students, thus, they would be prepared in the scenario where the

responsibilities of developing individuals is already entrusted to them.

8
 The parents, since the results of the study will make them aware on how

would be the proper way of guiding and dealing with their children that may affect

their academic performance.

The school administration, since the results must exhibit the kind of

students that the school may deal with. They would be aware on how their students

feel or react on a situation base on their experiences, this will serve as guide for them

to devise ways and means on how they could help their students.

For the future researchers, the results of the study would also serve as

reference or basis for a similar study.

Definition of Terms
Anxiety – In this study, this is defined as the feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness.

It might cause you to sweat, feel restless and tense, and have a rapid heartbeat. It

can be a normal reaction to stress. For example, you might feel anxious when faced

with a difficult problem at work or school, before taking a test, or before making an

important decision.

Difficulty in Mathematics - Because math involves using plenty of multi-

step processes to solve problems, being able to master it takes a lot more

practice than other subjects. Having to repeat a process repeatedly can quickly

make a students stressed and this may result into having an anxiety in learning

mathematics.

Learner’s Self-Esteem – it is the student’s degree to which they feel

satisfied with themselves and feel valuable and worthy of respect. Perceived

competence is a belief that one has skills in a particular area, which in this study

is Mathematics.

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 School Environment - refers to the set of relationships that occur

among members of a school community that are determined by structural,

personal, and functional factors of the educational institution, which provide

distinctiveness to schools. The factors included in this study is the instructors,

classmates, and classrooms.

Academic Performance – In this study, academic performance is the measurement

of student achievement across various academic subjects. Teachers and education

officials typically measure achievement using classroom performance, graduation

rates, and results from standardized tests. Formal tests, quizzes, and exams are the

traditional methods for assessing student achievement. Final grades on a specific

subject.

Demographic Profile – In this study this refers to the participant’s characteristics in

terms of, sex, location of residence and the type of curriculum they have completed

through in junior high school (general academic curriculum or special science

curriculum).

Sex - refers to the participant’s biological attributes either of the two main

categories (male and female). It is primarily associated with physical and

physiological features including chromosomes, gene expression, hormone levels

and function, and reproductive/sexual anatomy.

Location of Residence - it is the respondent’s locality where they have

lived continuously for more than 12 months. The person must have a dwelling in

the locality concerned. Can be either rural or urban areas.

Rural Area - is an open swath of land that has few homes or

other buildings, and not very many people. A rural areas population

density is very low. including, Maragondon, Magallanes and Gen.

Aguinaldo. These areas are considered to be rural areas of Cavite

10
 which are all known to have vast lands that are intended for

agriculture and production areas.

Urban areas - are very developed, meaning there is a density

of human structures such as houses, commercial buildings, roads,

bridges, and railways. "Urban area" can refer to towns, cities, and

suburbs. An urban area includes the city itself, as well as the

surrounding areas. All other municipalities and cities excluding

Maragondon, Magallanes and Gen. Aguinaldo.

Type of Curriculum – this is the type of curriculum they have completed

through in junior high school and this is classified between general academic

curriculum and special science curriculum.

STEM Strand - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics strand.

Through the STEM strand, senior high school students are exposed to complex

mathematical and science theories and concepts which will serve as a foundation for

their college courses.

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METHODS

This section reveals the methods of research to be employed by the

researcher in conducting the study which discusses the research designs, description

of participants, sampling technique, instrument, data analysis, and the ethical

consideration that will be utilized to pursue the objectives of the study.

Research Design

This study will utilize a descriptive correlational research approach in order to

establish a link between STEM students' anxiety levels and academic performance in

their specialized mathematics subject. According to (McBurney & White, 2009),

descriptive correlational design is used in research studies that aim to provide static

pictures of situations as well as establish the relationship between different variables.

This quantitative research method aims to describe two or more variables and their

relationships. Descriptive correlation design can provide a picture of the current state

of affairs. The study design would also enable the researcher to determine changes

in the participants’ behaviors or attitudes over time in order to determine how these

changes affect the outcomes or possible trends that could emerge in future (Monsen

& Horn, 2007).

The descriptive correlational research design will also increase efficiency

because it uses less resources. Furthermore, the researchers intend to get an

understanding of the relationship between anxiety levels and academic performance

of CvSU- LSHS, STEM learners in their specialized mathematics subject.

Description of the Participants

This study will be conducted at CvSU-LSHS. All the participants will be the

students of the Grade 11 in the said school. This study will focus on gathering

information from all Grade 11 learners who have done taking specialized

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mathematics subject (Pre-Calculus). These Grade 11 students' opinion about the

study is crucial as the Anxiety is more visible now on the 21st century leaners.

Sampling Techniques

Total enumeration sampling was used to establish the appropriate number of

participants in G11 STEM learner. It offers extensive statistical coverage in both

space and time. This form of sampling approach in which you select to investigate

the entire population with a certain set of features. The study has sixty-two (62)

participants, 62 are being surveyed and successfully retrieved 62 or 100% of the

questionnaires.

Table 1. Population Distribution

GRADE & SECTION POPULATION SAMPLE PERCENTAGE

11- MALIKHAIN 31 50%

11- MASIPAG 62 31 50%

TOTAL: 62 100%

Instrument

The instrument used to collect data was the survey form. This was used

because it gathers data faster than any other method.

For validation of the instrument, the researcher used standardized

questionnaire survey form, the first part contains sex, location of residence, and type

of curriculum. The researcher adopted questionnaire for the students to gather data

regarding if they are experiencing anxiety and whether it have a significant

relationship in their academic performance with their specialized Mathematics subject.

13
Table 2. Likert Scale

Scaling Arbitrary Scale Verbal Interpretation

1 1.00 - 1.74 Very Low
2 1.75 - 2.49 Low
3 2.5 - 3.24 High
4 3.25 – 4.00 Very High

Data Analysis

In analyzing the answers of the participants of this study, different statistical

analysis, and treatment of analyzing the data were used such as descriptive analysis

and inferential analysis. The specific statistical treatments that were utilized for each

research question posed for the study are as follows:

Frequency And Percentage Distribution – it is a kind of distribution in which the

individual class frequencies are expressed as a percentage of the total frequency

equated to 100. This is used to describe the demographic profile of the participants,

Answers the first statement of the problem.

Mean and Standard Error – it indicates how different the population mean is likely to

be from a sample mean. This is used to answer the research questions about the

anxiety levels academic performance of the participants.

Spearman Rank Correlation – is a non-parametric measure of rank correlation. It

assesses how well the relationship between two variables can be described using a

monotonic function, and it is used to classify the significant relationship between

anxiety level and academic performance of the participants to the study.

Mann-Whitney U – one of the non-parametric alternative to the independent t-test.

The researchers materialized the tests to determine the difference between the

variables of the study.

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Ethical Consideration

Prior to the study, the participants will receive an in-depth briefing along with

essential information regarding the purpose of the study for ethical research

consideration. Through informed consent, the participants must choose voluntarily

and decide to take part in the study. To ensure anonymity, secrecy, and avoidance of

any potential harm, all information will be handled with utmost confidentiality by not

disclosing any unauthorized information such as names and identities of research

participants in accordance with RA 10173, commonly referred to as Data Privacy Act.

To ensure the confidentiality, safety and privacy of the participants, discreet

ethical guidelines were considered by the researchers in gathering of raw data.

Before conducting the study, the researchers obtain approval from the office

of the principal of the school to allow the researchers to handle total enumeration of

Grade 11 STEM students wherein the entire population was chosen to be examined.

In conducting the study, the researchers discreetly preserve the participants’

demographic profile and made a personal commitment to ensure the identities of the

participants and formally introduce to them the purpose of the study and that they are

allowed to withdraw at any moment of the data gathering procedure. Confidentiality

was maintained all throughout the research procedure; hence the researchers

utilized parental consent that was duly signed by the parent/guardian of the

participants stating that study conducted was voluntarily participated by the students.

The researchers-maintained sensitivity to differences of age, gender, class,

health, and culture of the participants that was critical ethical factors raised during the

course of the study.

The researchers acknowledged that participants are autonomous individuals

who actively submitted information. Participants were given the opportunity to

exercise their autonomy by voluntarily accepting or refusing to participate in the study.

15
All research participants' dignity was entirely respected. Furthermore, the researcher

kept the participants' privacy in mind throughout the data collection, writing, and

publication processes.

The researcher ensured data integrity by preserving a clear and

comprehensive record of raw data acquired.

16
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the anxiety levels and

academic performances of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

(STEM) Students of Cavite State University (CvSU) Laboratory Science High School

in Their Specialized Mathematics Subjects. The independent variable is the anxiety

level, while the dependent variable is the academic performance of the participants in

their specialized mathematics subject specifically in Pre-calculus to attain the

conclusion of the study. This chapter provides the results of the data analysis as

relating to the research objectives.

Demographic Profiles

Table 3. Sex
(Frequency and Percent Distribution of Respondents when grouped according to Sex)

SEX FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

MALE 29 47%

FEMALE 33 53%

TOTAL: 62 100%

Table 3 shows the total number of male and female who participated in the

study. Among the sixty-two (62) learners, twenty-nine (29) or 47% were male and

thirty-three (33) or 53% were female.

According to other research, the differences in STEM strand interest between

sexes manifest as a larger number of females pursuing and completing advanced

degrees in certain STEM fields (e.g., biology, chemistry) over others (e.g., physics,

engineering) (National Science Foundation, 2017a, 2017b, 2017c; Sikora & Pokropek,

2012). Which supported the data presented above that most of the participants

pursued a STEM strand in CvSU-LSHS were female.

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Table 4. Location of Residence

(Frequency and Percent Distribution of Respondents when grouped according to the

location of residence)

LOCATION FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

RURAL AREA 3 5%

URBAN AREA 59 95%

TOTAL: 62 100%

Table 4 shows the total number of participants who resides in rural and urban

areas in Cavite. Three (3) or 5% lives in rural area while fifty-seven (59) or 95% lives

in urban area.

According to Darrah M, 2022 that a large diverse workforce is needed in

STEM fields, but past research has shown students from rural settings are

disadvantaged when pursuing STEM. This study supported the data presented

above, which shows that most of the participants resides in urban area pursued

STEM strand.

Table 5. Type of Curriculum

(Frequency and Percent Distribution of Respondents when grouped according to the
Type of Curriculum)

TYPE OF CURRICULUM FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

GENERAL ACADEMIC 6 10%

SPECIAL SCIENCE 56 90%

TOTAL: 62 100%

Table 5 shows the total number of participants regarding their previous type

of curriculum during their junior high school. Six (6) or 10% of them came from

general academic curriculum, and fifty-six (56) or 90% came from special science

curriculum.

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 According to the study by Van Langen et al. (2017), it examined the long-term

effects of specialized STEM programs in secondary schools. The study found that

learners who attended specialized STEM programs were more likely to choose

STEM-related fields in higher education and pursue STEM careers compared to

learners from general programs. Although the study did not specifically compare

learners from special science curricula to those from general curricula, it supports the

notion that specialized STEM programs positively influence STEM pursuit.

Table 6. Anxiety Level

MEAN STANDARD VERBAL
Anxiety Level in terms of:
ERROR INTERPRETATION
Difficulty in Mathematics
1. I often worry that my best 2.5161 .10966 HIGH
is not as good as expected
in my specialized
Mathematics courses.
2. I tend to put off doing my 2.0645 .11697 LOW
Mathematics school work
because it stresses me.
3. I spend much of my time 1.9194 .11566 LOW
at school worrying about
what is next.
4. I often feel sick when I 1.6935 .09366 VERY LOW
need to work on a major
class assignment in my
specialized Mathematics
subjects.
5. I have a hard time 2.0323 .12377 LOW
handling school
responsibilities especially
with my specialized
Mathematics courses.
Total 2.0452 0.0773 LOW

Learner’s Self-Esteem
1. I often worry that I am 2.3226 .13165 LOW
not doing my Mathematics
assignments properly.
2. I am less confident about 2.3548 .11520 LOW

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my specialized
Mathematics courses than
my classmates.
3. There is something 2.0645 .10506 LOW
about specialized
Mathematics courses that
scares me.
Total 2.2476 0.0991 LOW
School Environment
1. I have a sense of dread 2.2581 .11483 LOW
when I am in my
classrooms during my
Mathematics classes.
2. I often feel sick when I 2.0968 .11197 LOW
need to work on a major
class assignment in my
specialized Mathematics
subjects.
3. I have a hard time 2.1452 .12135 LOW
handling school
responsibilities especially
with my specialized
Mathematics courses.
Total 2.1663 0.0860 LOW
General Mean 2.1334 0.0030 LOW

Table 6 shows that the anxiety level of the participants in terms of “Difficulty in

Mathematics," question 1, obtained a 2.5161 mean, which is the highest. While

question 4 obtained a 1.6935 mean, which is the lowest, Moreover, in terms of

“Learner’s Self-Esteem”, question 2 obtained a mean of 2.3548, which is the highest,

while question 3 obtained a mean of 2.0645, which is the lowest. Lastly, in terms of

"School Environment”, question 1 obtained a 2.2581 mean, which is the highest. On

the other hand, question 2 obtained a 2.0968 mean, which is the lowest.

Furthermore, “Difficulty in Mathematics” obtained a total mean of 2.0452 with

the verbal interpretation “Low.” “Learner’s Self-Esteem” obtained a total mean of

2.2476 with the verbal interpretation “Low.” Lastly, “School Environment” obtained a

20
total mean of 2.1663 with the verbal interpretation “Low.” Overall, the general mean

combined is 2.1334 with the verbal interpretation “Low.”

Table 7. Academic Performance

(Frequency and Percentage Distribution of Respondents in their Academic
Performance)

Interpretation Frequency Percentage

Outstanding 54 87.1%

Very Satisfactory 8 12.9%

Satisfactory 0 0%

Fairly Satisfactory 0 0%

Did not met expectation 0 0%

TOTAL 62 100%
Range: 86-99;
Average: 93.16;
Verbal Interpretation: Outstanding

Table 7 shows that with a total number of sixty-two (62) participants, fifty-four

(54) or 87.1% of them obtained an Outstanding performance and eight (8) or 12.9%

of them obtained a Very Satisfactory in their Academic performance in Pre-calculus.

According to Woessmann and Lüdemann (2009), the performance of

students across different types of high schools, including private schools. The study

found that students attending private schools performed well. While the study did not

specifically focus on science high schools, it suggests that attending a private school

is associated with higher academic performance. Moreover, private science high

schools typically have a competitive admissions process, where students are

selected based on their academic achievements, aptitude, and potential in science

and mathematics. As a result, the student body consists of highly motivated and

academically inclined learners who are passionate about science. This concentrated

pool of high-achieving students creates an environment that fosters academic

21
excellence. This explained the high academic performance of the participants in their

Pre-calculus.

Significant Difference on Level of Anxiety When Grouped According to the

Demographic Profiles

Table 8. Sex
(Significant difference on Level of Anxiety When Grouped According to Sex)

Anxiety Level Mann-

Sex Mean p-value Remarks
in terms of: Whitney

Male 2.1034
Difficulty in Fail to
434.500 0.533
Mathematics Reject HO
Female 1.9939

Male 2.2648
Student’s self- Fail to
471.00 0.915
esteem Reject HO
Female 2.2324

Male 2.1721
School Fail to
459.500 0.786
Environment Reject HO
Female 2.1612

Male 2.1801
Fail to
TOTAL: 461.000 0.805
Reject HO
Female 2.1292

If p-value is ≤ 0.05: Reject HO.

If p-value is ≥ 0.05: Fail to Reject HO.

Descriptive analysis was considered in determining the standard error on data

collected and a table of p-value was utilized in the study. To further analyze the data

gathered, non-parametric method of Mann Whitney and Spearman correlation was

applied. Significant difference between level of anxiety in accordance with sex, type

of curriculum, and location of residence was analyzed by utilizing Mann Whitney. P

value of all methods was considered 0.05.

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 In the present study, there were total of 62 participants categorized as 29

(47%) male and 33 female (53%). In table 8 significant difference on level of anxiety

in terms of sex of participants, reveals that the result of u-test conducted using Mann

Whitney derived a 434.00 mark and a p-value of 0.533 shows negative significant

difference on participants having difficulty in math. 471.00 mark was observed and a

p-value of 0.915 also demonstrates a negative difference in terms of participants’

self-esteem. P-value of participants’ school environment shows 0.786 mark and

459.5 on result of u-test. Analysis of these data shows that there was no meaningful

difference between participants’ sex and test anxiety (p>0.05).

Table 9. Location of Residence

(Significant difference on Level of Anxiety When Grouped According to the Location
of Residence)

Anxiety Level Location of Mann-

Mean p-value Remarks
in terms of: Residence Whitney

Rural 1.8667
Difficulty in
101.500 0.687 Fail to
Mathematics
Urban 2.0542 Reject HO

Rural 2.4433
Student’s self-
86.000 0.951 Fail to
esteem
Urban 2.2376 Reject HO

Rural 2.3333
School
70.000 0.574 Fail to
Environment
Urban 2.1578 Reject HO

Rural 2.2133
TOTAL: 87.000 0.975 Fail to
Urban 2.1498 Reject HO

If p-value is ≤ 0.05: Reject HO.

If p-value is ≥ 0.05: Fail to Reject HO.

Based on the data acquired, there is no considerable difference between the

anxiety level of participants and their place of residence. In terms of difficulty in

Mathematics, Mann - Whitney scores 101.500 and a p-value of 0.687, indicating no

23
significant difference. In terms of students' self-esteem, Mann-Whitney scores of

86.000 and a p-value of 0.951 were obtained, indicating a negative link between

participants' self-esteem and location of residence. According to the acquired data,

there is no significant difference, leading to a p-value of 0.975.

Table 10. Type of Curriculum

(Significant difference on Level of Anxiety When Grouped According to the Type of
Curriculum)

Anxiety Level Type of Mann-

Mean p-value Remarks
in terms of: Curriculum Whitney

General
2.2333
Academic
Difficulty in Fail to Reject
136.500 0.463
Mathematics HO
Special
2.0250
Science

General
2.6117
Academic
Student’s Fail to Reject
132.000 0.407
self-esteem HO
Special
2.2086
Science

General
2.2783
School Academic Fail to Reject
159.000 0.844
Environment HO
Special
2.1543
Science

General
2.3744
Academic Fail to
TOTAL: 138.000 0.492
Special Reject HO
2.1293
Science

If p-value is ≤ 0.05: Reject HO.

If p-value is ≥ 0.05: Fail to Reject HO.

The result shows the significant difference on type of curriculum (General

Academic and Special Science). Mann-Whitney score (136.5) and p-value 0.463

demonstrates no significant difference on participants’ difficulty on mathematics with

p ≥ 0.05. Students’ self-esteem marks 132.0 score on u-test with a p-value of 0.407,

24
negative difference was also observed on type of curriculum and participants’ level of

anxiety. As observed on the result gathered there no significant difference between

school environment and type of curriculum indicating a p-value of 0.844.

According to the tabulated data, there was a negative relationship (p0.05)

between test anxiety and the demographic profile of the participants. The findings of

several statistical analysis and treatments revealed no significant difference in

degree of anxiety to a wide range of justifying purposes such as sex, curriculum type,

and residence location. Thus, the second hypothesis was accepted, and the results

show that there is a negative significant difference between anxiety level and

demographic profile.

Anxiety level of majority of participants in this study shows a low to no

significant difference. In research conducted by Susanti et al. (2019), more than 23%

of college students believe that anxiety has an influence on their academic

performance. Performance and anxiety are inversely related, and a downward spiral

of performance-decreasing anxiety may result from bad performance. Hence,

providing a good experience for students, motivating them to be autonomous

learners and take responsibility for their education, and showing them that attempting

is more competent than getting everything instantaneously are all vital.

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Table 11. Significant Difference of Academic Performance and Demographic
Profile

Demographic Academic Mann-

Mean p-value Remarks
Profile Performance Whitney

Fail to
Sex 498.000 0.782
Reject HO

Students’
Type of Grades in 93.16 Fail to
165.500 0.954
Curriculum Pre-Calculus Reject HO

Location of Fail to
59.500 0.984
Residence Reject HO

If p-value is ≤ 0.05: Reject HO.

If p-value is ≥ 0.05: Fail to Reject HO.

The result shows that with the three (3) demographics that the researcher

obtained from the participants, Sex obtained p-value of 0.782, Type of Curriculum

obtained a p-value of 0.954, and Location of Residence obtained a p-value of 0.984.

With the aforementioned p-value of each demographic profile and the grades of the

participants, all of the demographic profile remarks is “Fail to Reject HO.” Thus, there

is no significant difference between the demographic profile and academic

performance of the participants.

In-lined with this, according to a meta-analysis published in the journal

Psychological Bulletin in 2014 analyzed data from 369 studies involving over a million

students and found that, on average, there were no significant differences in overall

academic performance between boys and girls. Moreover, based on the study of

Ross, K. M., & Broh, B. A. (2018), the academic achievement of rural and urban

youth, considering socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity. It found that

socioeconomic status played a significant role in explaining the achievement gap

between rural and urban students, with lower socioeconomic status in rural areas

being associated with lower academic achievement. Furthermore, in accordance with

26
Zhang, D., & Liu, J. (2020), the effect of special STEM classes on students'

academic performance in STEM subjects. It found that students who participated in

special STEM classes had significantly higher academic performance in STEM

subjects compared to students who did not have the opportunity to participate in such

classes. In general, it can be said that in some research there is a significant

difference between the Academic Performance and Demographic Profile.

Table 12. Significant Relationship of Academic Performance and Anxiety Level

Factors
Academic Spearman
Affecting P-value Remarks
Performance Rank
Anxiety

Difficulty in
-0.669 0.000 Reject HO
Mathematics

Students’
Student’s self-
Grades in -0.650 0.000 Reject HO
esteem
Pre-Calculus

School
-0.524 0.000 Reject HO
Environment

Total -0.671 0.000 Reject HO

Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level

The table shows that the anxiety level of the participants in terms of "Difficulty

in Mathematics" and its relationship to Academic Performance obtained a p-value of

-0.669, "Student’s Self-Esteem" and its relationship to Academic Performance

obtained a p-value of -0.650, and "School Environment" and its relationship to

Academic Performance obtained a p-value of -0.524. With the p-value obtained by

anxiety level and its relationship to Academic Performance, all remarks are therefore

"Reject HO." Overall, the Academic Performance and Anxiety Level obtained a total

Spearman correlation value of -0.671 with the Verbal Interpretation of "Negative

Moderate Correlation." With the results that the researcher obtained, the decision for

the study is therefore "Reject HO," which means that there is a significant

27
relationship between Anxiety level and Academic Performance of Grade 11 STEM

students of CVSU-LSHS.

According to Stumm, S. Plomin, R., and Plomin, R. (2015) that investigates

the relationship between intelligence, anxiety, and academic performance from

diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and finds that anxiety has a detrimental impact

on academic performance. Which strongly supports the results of this study that was

conducted in the Grade 11 STEM learners in CVSU-LSHS.

Conclusion
In line to the above findings in this study, the following conclusions were drawn;

1. Learners’ sex was distributed for 29 males and 33 females with the total of 62

participants, type of Curriculum was distributed for 6 take general academics

and 56 special sciences, and location of Residence was distributed for 3 in

Rural places and 59 in urban places in Cavite. Thus, majority of them are

female when it comes to sex. With regards to the location of residence,

greater part of the participants reside on urban area. Moreover, vast majority

of participants came from a special science type of curriculum.

2. The anxiety level of the participants in term of difficulty in math, learners’ self-

esteem and school environment are LOW.

3. In sixty-two (62) total participants, fifty-four (54) or 87.1% of the participants

obtained outstanding and eight (8) or 12.9% of the participants obtained very

satisfactory on their academic performance in Pre-calculus. The student

academic performance are ranging from eighty-six (86) to ninety-nine (99)

with the general mean of ninety-three and sixteen hundredths (93.16) with the

verbal interpretation of Outstanding.

4. The previous study shows that the Demographic profiles (sex, type of

curriculum and location of residence) and anxiety level has shown ACCEPT

HO, therefore there is no significant difference. Also, the demographic profile

28
 and academic performance has shown ACCEPT HO, therefore there is no

significant difference.

5. There is significant relationship between anxiety and academic performance

of Grade 11 STEM students in CvSU-LSHS. The null hypothesis is rejected.

Recommendations

Learners, keep working towards one’s objective until taking the opportunity to

succeed. Maintain one’s motivating efforts to prevent feeling nervous, plan

occasional rest, and keep yourself active and engaged in something enjoyable.

Teachers should continue designing activities that capture the interests of the

learners in a certain course and approach learners with positive behavior in order to

overcome and minimize their anxieties.

Parents, please continue encouraging the children and do not put pressure

on them to enroll in specific course. A positive relationship with your child might help

reduce anxiety.

School Administration, improving learners’ subject information for school

officials to ensure learners develop strong foundation and understanding of the

subject. The school might conduct webinars about preventing anxiety and how to

enjoy life without being anxious, or plan events so that learners can enjoy their

school year and have great experiences while learning and add at least 30 minutes

to a one-hour subject in which your counselor goes from room to room and performs

some activities with the students that they could appreciate.

Future Researchers, should experiment with adding or modifying elements

that impact learners’ anxiety level. If a learner is determined to be anxious, it should

be treated quickly in order to enhance academic performance in a timely and

effective manner. This study also provides as a foundation or reference for

29
comparable studies that may be utilized to expand on this issue. You might be able

to locate or construct a more relevant questionnaire for your research.

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to express their sincerest gratitude and deepest

appreciation to the following persons who contributed in the completion of this

research:

First and foremost, the Creator, for providing them wisdom and knowledge

and strength to carry out everything and for the countless blessings the authors have

been receiving. All glory be unto God who guide and satisfy those who seek Him

(Isaiah 58:11).

To the principal Mr. Rufriel S. Mesa, and to the advisers of Grade 11 Masipag

and Malikhain, Ms. Jeezeal D. Ulep and Mr. Ronmark V. Macalindong, for allowing

the researchers to conduct their research on their students and for assisting them to

complete this research.

Dr. Jake Raymund F. Fabregar, their respective research adviser and course

instructor, Mr. Gim B. Sadol, their statistics adviser, for their valuable guidance,

assistance, encouragement, and patience in the preparation of this study. As well as,

for acting validator, for giving useful suggestions and recommendations in creating

the instrument to be utilized by the researchers.

The authors want to extend their sincere thanks to all the respondents, who

willingly participated and helped them achieve such results and finish the research on

time. This research project could not have been possible without their dedication,

patience, assistance, and cooperation.

Lastly, researchers also want to thank their parents who have selflessly

offered their moral support, guidance, concern prayers, and trust.

30
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