Academic Anxiety Among First-Year Students Living Away From Home During the Transition to Higher Education
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Abstract
Academic anxiety is an important issue among first-year students, particularly those living away from home, as they must adapt to academic demands while also managing independent living. This study aimed to describe the level of academic anxiety among first-year students living away from home during the transition to higher education. This study employed a descriptive quantitative approach involving 2,695 first-year students selected through purposive sampling based on predetermined inclusion criteria. Data were collected using the Academic Anxiety instrument, which consisted of 18 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, median, quartiles, and score categorization. The results showed that the majority of students were in the moderate category of academic anxiety, with 2,083 students or 77.29%, followed by 350 students or 12.99% in the high category, and 262 students or 9.72% in the low category. In conclusion, academic anxiety among first-year students living away from home was at a moderate level and requires preventive attention. Future studies are recommended to examine psychological, social, and academic factors that influence academic anxiety in greater depth.
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