Examination preparation, anxiety and examination performance in a group of adult students

The study reported here examined the relationship between the final examination performance of adults enrolled in a university preparatory, or Access, course and (1) 29 approaches to studying; (2) 25 ways of coping; (3) trait anxiety; and (4) self-reported examination anxiety. Eight approaches to studying and six ways of coping were significantly correlated with final examination mark. Extreme levels (high/low) of trait anxiety were significantly associated with lower final examination performance, moderate trait anxiety with higher final examination performance. Level of self-reported examination anxiety was significantly positively correlated with level of trait anxiety but not with final examination performance. There were no significant differences in final examination performance associated with gender, age-group or the presence/absence of recent examination experience.