The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement with Test Anxiety in Students

Jafarzadeh Mazraekhalafi, Elnaz; Mikaeili, Niloofar

doi:10.22034/jmp.2025.478725.1121

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement with Test Anxiety in Students

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Elnaz Jafarzadeh Mazraekhalafi ¹

Niloofar Mikaeili ²

¹ Master Student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

² Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

10.22034/jmp.2025.478725.1121

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how middle school students at Fakhri Zadeh School in Ardabil Province, during the 2023–2024 academic year, related their self-esteem and academic achievement to test anxiety.
Methods: The descriptive-correlational research approach was used for the objective of the study. All middle school students at Fakhrizadeh School were included in the population, and 60 students from the same school were chosen for the study using a convenience sampling method. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) were the instruments utilized in this study. The SPSS program version 23 was employed for the tests, which included linear regression and the Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results: The current study's findings indicated no significant correlation between academic success and either test anxiety (p=0.47) or self-esteem (p=0.88). Test anxiety and self-esteem, however, were significantly and negatively correlated (p<0.001). Furthermore, test anxiety was significantly predicted by self-esteem (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The findings of this study show that self-esteem plays a part in predicting test anxiety, and since students' self-esteem may be raised by offering them courses, it is feasible to establish the conditions necessary to lessen test anxiety.

Keywords

Academic Achievement

Self-esteem

Students

Test Anxiety

Subjects

Abnormal Psychology

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