Self-Esteem as a Correlate of Academic Anxiety of Adolescents in Senior Secondary Schools in Delta State

International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 343 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 Self-Esteem as a Correlate of Academic Anxiety of Adolescents in Senior Secondary Schools in Delta State Imasua, K. C. Department of Guidance and Counselling, Delta State University Abraka, Nigeria [email protected] Prof (Mrs) E. E. Ebenuwa-Okoh Department of Guidance and Counselling, Delta State University Abraka, Nigeria ebenuwa[email protected]u.ng Prof (Mrs) F. N. Ugoji Department of Guidance and Counselling, Delta State University Abraka, Nigeria [email protected] Abstract This study examined self-esteem as a correlate of academic anxiety among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State, Nigeria. Guided by three research questions and three null hypotheses, the study employed a correlational research design. The research was conducted across public secondary schools in the 25 Local Government Areas of Delta State, involving a population of 32,422 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students. A multistage sampling method was utilized to select a sample size of 1,023 students. Data collection was carried out using a structured questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the research instrument were carried out through expert judgement and factor analysis. The result obtained revealed that the instrument is valid and reliable for the study. Data obtained were analysed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression statistics. Mean and standard deviation were applied to answer research questions 1 and 2, while Pearson’s correlation coefficient of determination was used to answer research question 3. The hypotheses were tested using regression statistics at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State have high self-esteem and high academic anxiety. The finding also revealed that a significant relationship exists between self-esteem and academic anxiety. The study also found that there is a significant moderating impact of sex on the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools; but no significant moderating impact of family type in the relationship between selfesteem and academic anxiety. The study recommended amongst others, that Guidance counsellors should maintain and enhance students’ self-esteem through ongoing positive reinforcement and encouragement in academic and extracurricular activities. Keywords: Self-Esteem; Academic Anxiety; Sex; Family Type; Adolescents. International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 344 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 Introduction Education is widely considered the key pathway through which individuals are empowered to actively engage in societal transformation. It enriches society and fosters progress by equipping learners with moral, spiritual, and material understanding. However, in today’s competitive educational climate, much of the focus is placed on academic success. As a result, schools and families alike often pressure students to excel academically, and this pressure can precipitate academic anxiety. Anxiety is a well-studied psychological phenomenon and is commonly understood as a natural response to perceived stress or threat. Unlike fear, which is tied to immediate danger, anxiety often involves anticipation of future challenges. It manifests as a mental state of tension, worry, or unease in response to perceived stressors. Within schooling, academic anxiety refers to distress or discomfort in academic settings—such as facing examinations, presenting projects, or managing coursework—that students interpret negatively. Physiologically, when students encounter such stressors, biochemical responses in the brain and nervous system may increase arousal and vigilance (Smith & Lee, 2020). If anxiety escalates beyond a manageable level, the body may respond in a fight-or-flight fashion, impairing concentration and memory (Nguyen, 2021). Yet moderate anxiety can motivate students to study, plan, and engage more intentionally, thereby having a positive effect on performance (Alvarez & Torres, 2022). Adolescents frequently experience reduced academic motivation and performance due in part to competing demands of identity formation, social pressures, and heightened academic expectations (Johnson & Gomez, 2019). As students transition into higher levels of schooling, they often face stricter deadlines, more rigorous curricula, and greater demands from teachers and parents—all of which can exacerbate feelings of academic insufficiency and anxiety (Patel et al., 2023). When academic anxiety becomes severe or unregulated, students may struggle to concentrate, recall information during tests, or maintain confidence in their abilities (Kohli & Kumar, 2024). The impact of academic anxiety extends into mental health domains. Several studies report a positive correlation between academic anxiety and depression in adolescents—that is, as anxiety increases, depressive symptoms tend to rise (Chen et al., 2024). In cases where anxiety goes unrecognized or unaddressed early, students may develop feelings of hopelessness, withdrawal, and diminished self-worth (Martinez & Blake, 2025). Over prolonged periods, academic anxiety may lead to chronic outcomes such as procrastination, academic underachievement, avoidance of social interactions, and disengagement from school activities (Suresh & Raj, 2022). Academic anxiety is a significant factor influencing both educational outcomes and psychological well-being. From basic to tertiary education, it is essential to identify factors that correlate with anxiety and address them proactively. Globally and in local contexts, researchers have identified pressures from parents, high-stakes testing, peer comparison, perfectionistic tendencies, transitional stress, and lack of coping strategies as key contributors to academic anxiety (Lee et al., 2021). In line with this background, the current study will investigate the International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 345 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 role of self-esteem as a predictor of academic anxiety among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State. Self-esteem is a concept in relation with the self-image and self-conscience concepts. There have been numerous attempts to define self-esteem, with many acknowledging that it pertains to how individuals evaluate themselves in relation to their social group, the worth they assign to themselves, their positive or negative attitudes toward themselves, and the degree of satisfaction they experience with their own being (Baumeister, et al., 2013). One of the most well-known theorists in the area, Rosenberg (as cited in Dhillon, et al., 2016) defined selfesteem as a favourable or unfavourable attitude towards oneself. It reflects the degree to which the individual sees him or herself as a competent, need-satisfying individual and that persons with high self-esteem feel a sense of personal adequacy and believe that they have achieved satisfaction of their needs in the past. It also refers to the attitudinal and evaluative component of the self. It involves feelings of worth and acceptance which are developed as a result of the awareness of our competencies and feedback from the world around us. Emerging as common across most definitions of self-esteem is the component of self-evaluation. This self-evaluative process is seen to be part of but distinct from one’s self-concept which also includes cognitive and behavioural aspects of the self (Dhillon, et al., 2016). Self-esteem is referred to as a psychological term that refers to an individual's overall subjective evaluation of their own worth, value, and perception of themselves. It involves a person's beliefs, thoughts, and feelings about their own abilities, qualities, and characteristics. Self-esteem encompasses how individuals perceive and evaluate themselves in various domains, such as appearance, intelligence, skills, relationships, and achievements. It plays a crucial role in shaping one's self-concept and influences their behaviour, emotions, and interactions with others. High self-esteem is characterized by a positive self-image, confidence, and a sense of self-worth, while low self-esteem is associated with self-doubt, negative selfperception, and feelings of inadequacy. Self-esteem plays a pivotal role in shaping the academic experiences of secondary school students, which may significantly influence the levels of academic anxiety they may experience. Students’ perception of their own worth and capabilities can profoundly impact their approach to learning, academic challenges, and overall well-being. High self-esteem could serve as a protective factor against academic anxiety. Students with a positive self-image tend to approach tasks with confidence, believing in their ability to overcome challenges. This sense of self-worth contributes to a resilient mindset, reducing the likelihood of experiencing intense anxiety related to academic performance. Conversely, low self-esteem can be a contributing factor to heightened academic anxiety. Students who doubt their abilities or constantly perceive themselves as falling short of expectations may experience fear of failure, self-doubt, and anxiety about their academic performance. The pressure to meet perceived standards, coupled with a negative self-image, can create a cycle of stress and worry that adversely affects their overall academic well-being. The relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety could be bidirectional. Academic challenges and failures can impact self-esteem, potentially exacerbating anxiety, creating a cycle that is challenging to break. On the other hand, positive academic experiences and achievements can contribute to an improved self-image, reducing anxiety and fostering a more positive attitude toward learning. In essence International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 346 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 therefore, summary, the level of self-esteem among secondary school students may significantly influence their susceptibility to academic anxiety. This however, remain to be tested in the study. This study will also investigate how sex and family type moderate the relationship between self-esteem and adolescents’ academic anxiety. Sex can act as a moderating factor in the complex interplay between self-esteem and academic anxiety among secondary school students. Social and cultural expectations often shape gender roles, influencing how individuals perceive and respond to various environmental factors. Cultural stereotypes may shape perceptions of competence and success, impacting the development of self-esteem in boys and girls. Sex differences in self-esteem can, in turn, moderate the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety, influencing how students cope with academic challenges and setbacks. Also, of interest to this research, is the family type the individual comes from. The family is the most important primary group and the smallest social unit in society. It has its roots in the human biological and physical nature. As such it is universal in the sense that no human society could possibly exist or has existed without some form of family organization. Akubue and Okolo (2018) define family as a group of people who interact and communicate with others such as husband, wife and children. Doob (2017) defines family as a social unit, which comprised of two or more people who live together and are related by blood, marriage or adoption. Consequently, Doob’s definition suggests that personal ties do not constitute a family, because such ties can exist among couples that are not married. Nevertheless, only in such a family can that intimate personal relationship be established, hence, by which the family can perform its function of rearing, protecting, educating, and transmitting to the children, the social norms and values it has inherited and creating a special bond between all the members. In the context of this study, family is a group of people who are united for the purpose of living together as husband and wife with children and other members such as siblings, uncles, and grand-parents. Family type comprises intact or broken family. Owing to a constant breakdown of the family unit, there is a decrease in parent/adolescent communication and time-sharing which could result in low self-esteem. In a broken home, the two parents do not cooperate, only one of the parents takes care of the children. They are more likely to be exposed to joining bad gangs, to be addicted to drugs and other vices due to lack of proper upbringing. They are likely to receive inadequate affection and love; there may be no proper coordination or direction in the affairs of such family. Adolescents in broken homes are, therefore, likely to exhibit low self-esteem. In view of this, the aim of this study is to determine the extent to which self-esteem can correlate with academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary Schools in Delta State. Research Questions The following research questions guided the study: 1. What is the level of self-esteem among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State? 2. What is the level of academic anxiety among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State? 3. What is the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State? International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 347 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 Hypotheses The following hypotheses were tested at 0.05 alpha level: 1. There is no significant relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State 2. There is no significant moderating impact of sex on the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State 3. There is no significant moderating impact of family type in the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State Methods The study employed a correlational research design. The population of the study comprised 32,422 Senior Secondary two (SS 2) students in public secondary schools in the 25 Local Government Areas of Delta State. The sample size for this study comprised 1,023 senior secondary school students. The choice of 1,023 was based on the recommendation of Gill, et al. (2010) that in a population between 25,000 and 49,999, that a sample size of 1,023 is adequate at 97% confidence rate, as shown in Appendix II. A multistage sampling method was used in the selection of students. In the first stage, the researcher selected 11 schools in each of the three senatorial districts of Delta State using a simple random sampling technique. The researcher wrote the names of all the schools in each of the three senatorial districts on a piece of paper, folded them, and packed them in a basket. The basket was shuffled, and the researcher picked 11 pieces of paper to show what was written on them. The schools selected through this process were included in the study. This was done until 11 schools in each of the three senatorial districts were selected, resulting in a total of 33 schools from the three senatorial districts in Delta State. In the second stage, the researcher selected a total of 31 students from each of the selected schools. This was done using a convenience sampling technique. In this case, the researcher selected students who were available, free, and willing to participate in the study. A total of 15 male students and 16 female students were selected from each school. The researcher used a stratified sampling technique to group the students into male and female students based on their sex. Overall, a total of 495 male and 528 female students were selected for the study, making a total of 1023 students. Questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. The questionnaire has two sections; Section A and B. Section A comprises the demographic data of the students such as their sex and family type. Section B of the questionnaire is made up of Self-Esteem Rating Scale (SERS); and Academic Anxiety Rating Scale (AARS). The Self-Esteem Rating Scale (SERS) was adapted from Self-Esteem Rating Scale developed by Nugent and Thomas (1993). It contains 40 items (which were reduced to 16 items after validation), structured on 4-point scale, ranging from 1 for strongly disagree to 4 for strongly agree. All the items in the scale were summed up to form a single score of 64. The benchmark that was used to measure self-esteem using the scale is 32. In other words, students who scored 32 and above were deemed to have high self-esteem while those who scored below 32 were deemed to have low self-esteem. The Academic Anxiety Rating Scale (AARS) was adapted from the Academic Anxiety Scale developed by Parihar, et al. (2023). It contains 30 items (which were reduced to 16 items after International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 348 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 validation), structured on 4-point scale, ranging from 1 for strongly disagree to 4 for strongly agree. All the items in the scale were summed up to form a single score of 64. The benchmark that was used to measure academic anxiety using the scale is 32. In other words, students who scored 32 and above were deemed to have high academic anxiety while those who scored below 32 were deemed to have low academic anxiety. The face validity of the instrument was estimated through experts’ judgement while the content and construct validities were estimated through factor analysis of the Principal Component Analysis method. In estimating the face validity of the instrument, a copy of the questionnaire was given to experts in the Department of Guidance and Counselling in the Faculty of Education, Delta State University, Abraka for the purpose of correction. Some of the items were modified to suit the view of the respondents. After the face validity, 100 copies of the questionnaire were pilot-tested on 100 students in Anambra State who were not part of the study and the data obtained were subjected to factor analysis. The principal component analysis of the extraction method was used to estimate the content validity of the instrument. It yielded the following values 61.67% for Self-Esteem Rating Scale; and 65.11% for Academic Anxiety Rating Scale. To estimate the construct validity of the instruments, the rotated factor loading of the varimax method was done, which yielded the following values: 0.53-0.82 for SelfEsteem Rating Scale; and 0.55-0.82 for Academic Anxiety Rating Scale. To ascertain the reliability of the research instrument, the data were analysed using Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient. The coefficient obtained include 0.73 for Self-Esteem Rating Scale; and 0.87 for Academic Anxiety Rating Scale. This suggests that the instrument is valid and reliable (Jessa, et al., 2023). Prior to the administration of the instrument, the researchers obtained permission from the principal of the various schools after explaining purpose of visit. They recruited the service of three research assistants to assist them in administering the questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered by the researchers with five research assistants. The questionnaire was retrieved immediately. This was to ensure that all or almost all the copies of questionnaires were retrieved. It also afforded the researchers opportunity to explain where necessary aspects of the questionnaire which were understood by the respondents. At the end of the exercise, a total of 1,023 copies of questionnaire were administered and returned, indicating 100% retrieval rate. Mean, standard deviation and Pearson’s correlation coefficient of determination were used to answer the research questions. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions 1 and 2 at a benchmark of 2.50. Pearson’s Product Moment correlation coefficient of determination was used to answer research question 3. Regression statistics was used to test the hypotheses 1-3 at 0.05 level of significance. Results Research Question 1: What is the level of self-esteem among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State? International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 349 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 Table 1: Mean analysis of the level of self-esteem among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State S/N Statement N Mean SD Remark 1 I feel that I am a very competent person. 1,023 3.45 0.72 High 2 I feel confident in my ability to learn new things. 1,023 3.45 0.70 High 3 I feel good about myself. 1,023 3.37 0.79 High 4 I feel confident that I can do well in whatever I do. 1,023 3.30 0.72 High 5 I feel that I am a nice person. 1,023 3.29 0.84 High 6 I feel that people have a good time when they are with me. 1,023 3.22 0.85 High 7 I feel that people like me. 1,023 3.13 0.85 High 8 I feel that I make a good impression on others. 1,023 2.96 1.01 High 9 I feel that I am NOT very likable. 1,023 2.75 1.02 High 10 I feel that other people are smarter than I am. 1,023 2.69 1.00 High 11 I feel that I am a boring person. 1,023 2.65 1.12 High 12 I feel that I mess things up. 1,023 2.60 1.02 High 13 I feel that I get pushed around more than others. 1,023 2.59 1.13 High 14 I feel inferior to other people. 1,023 2.57 1.13 High 15 I feel that I am likely to fail at things I do. 1,023 2.51 1.13 High 16 I feel ashamed about myself. 1,023 2.27 1.16 Low Average Mean 2.93 0.95 High Criterion Mean = 2.50 Table 1 shows the mean analysis of the the level of self-esteem among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State. The result shows that the mean score ranged from 2.27 to 3.45. The criterion mean is 2.50. This means that adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State have high self-esteem. The average mean score is 2.93, which is greater than the criterion mean of 2.50. This means that generally adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State have high self-esteem. Research Question 2: What is the level of academic anxiety among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State? International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 350 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 Table 2: Mean analysis of the level of academic anxiety among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State S/N Statement N Mean SD Remark 1 I feel worried about my academic performance. 1,023 3.13 0.91 High 2 I worry a lot about exams. 1,023 3.03 0.96 High 3 I experience a loss of interest or motivation in academic pursuits. 1,023 2.99 1.09 High 4 I tend to compare myself with others. 1,023 2.93 1.05 High 5 I feel like I don’t have enough time to do anything. 1,023 2.93 1.06 High 6 I experience negative self-talk related to my academic performance. 1,023 2.90 1.00 High 7 I am unable to relax before any exam. 1,023 2.89 1.07 High 8 I feel less confident about academic tasks. 1,023 2.88 1.06 High 9 I hold myself back from academic opportunities fearing I might fail. 1,023 2.88 1.11 High 10 I feel like my teachers/parents don’t appreciate my efforts. 1,023 2.87 1.00 High 11 I tend to overthink about everything while attempting a test/exam. 1,023 2.87 1.07 High 12 I feel like I’m being judged by everyone. 1,023 2.85 1.02 High 13 I am unable to sleep properly a night before an exam. 1,023 2.83 1.07 High 14 I feel worried at night before exams. 1,023 2.82 1.06 High 15 I experience difficulty in breathing before appearing for a test. 1,023 2.81 1.06 High 16 I experience cramps and tension in muscles while attempting a test/exam 1,023 2.48 1.23 Low Average Mean 2.88 1.05 High Criterion Mean = 2.50 Table 2 shows the mean analysis of the level of academic anxiety among adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State. The result shows that the mean score ranged from 2.48 to 3.13. The criterion mean is 2.50. This means that adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State have high academic anxiety. The average mean score is 2.28, which is greater than the criterion mean of 2.50. This means that generally adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State have high academic anxiety. Research Question 3: What is the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State? International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 11 November 2025 Received: 1 October 2025 351 Revised: 11 November 2025 Accepted: 24 November 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17700350 Table 3: Correlation and coefficient of determination on the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State Variables r r2 r2% Decision Self-Esteem -0.609 0.371 37.1 Negative Relationship Academic Anxiety Table 3 shows a Pearson’s coefficient of determination, which was used to examine the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State. The result shows that r = -0.609 and r2 = 0.371, which signified the extent of the relationship between the two variables. Self-esteem contributed 37.1% to the variance in academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State. Hypothesis 1: There is no significant relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State Table 4: Regression analysis of the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State Model Sum of Square df Mean Square F-ratio Sig Regression 49594.144 1 49594.144 602.385 .000b Residual 84058.567 1021 82.330 Total 133652.712 1022 Variables in Equation Model Unstandardized Coefficient Standardised Coefficient t Sig B Std. Error Beta (Constant) 1.650 1.823 .609 .905 .366 Self-Esteem .950 .039 24.544 .000 α = 0.05, R = 0.609, R-Square = 0.371 a. Dependent Variable: Academic Anxiety b. Predictors (Constant): Self-Esteem Table 4 shows a regression statistics, which was used to examine the relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State. The result shows that the computed F-value is 602.385, p<0.05 level of significance. Hence, the null hypothesis is rejected. This implies that there is a significant relationship between self-esteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State. The R2 value of 0.371 shows that 37.1% variance in academic anxiety is accounted for by their self-esteem. The unstandardized regression coefficient (B) for predicting academic anxiety from self-esteem is 0.950. The standardized coefficient (β) is 0.609, t = 24.544. Selfesteem is significant at an alpha level of 0.05. Hypothesis 2: There is no significant moderating impact of sex on the relationship between selfesteem and academic anxiety of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Delta State