Anxiety and its relationship with self-efficacy among third-year secondary school students: a field study on a sample of students from Relizane province
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51247/st.v9iS2.778Keywords:
Anxiety, Self-efficacy, Third-year secondary school studentsAbstract
This study aimed to analyze the relationship between state–trait anxiety and self-efficacy among third-year secondary school students. A quantitative approach was adopted, using a non-experimental, descriptive-correlational design. The sample consisted of 312 male and female students from various secondary schools in Relizane Province. Data were collected using the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and a self-efficacy scale. The results revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between anxiety and self-efficacy, indicating that higher levels of anxiety were associated with lower levels of self-efficacy. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were found based on academic specialization (scientific vs. literary) in either anxiety or self-efficacy. These findings suggest that self-efficacy plays a crucial role in regulating anxiety levels among students. Strengthening self-efficacy may contribute to improving psychological well-being and enhancing academic performance. In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of promoting psychological resources that help students cope with anxiety and develop adaptive behaviors in academic contexts.
Downloads
References
Abu Suleiman, B. A. M. (2007). The effect of relaxation and problem-solving training on reducing anxiety and improving self-efficacy among tenth-grade students (Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ain Shams University, Egypt). (in Arabic)
Al Qaisy, L. M., & Thawabieh, A. M. (2017). Personal Traits and Their Relationship with Future Anxiety and Achievement. Journal on Educational Psychology, 10(3), 11-19.
Al-Anzi, K. B. H. (2010). Parental acceptance–rejection, irrational beliefs, and future anxiety among a sample of Northern Border University students (Doctoral dissertation, Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia). (in Arabic)
Al-Huwaila, A. (2010). Anxiety and muscle relaxation: Concepts, theories, and treatment. Kuwait: Kuwait University. (in Arabic)
Al-Jubouri, M. A. (2013). Future anxiety and its relationship with self-efficacy and academic ambition (Doctoral dissertation, University of Baghdad, Iraq). (in Arabic)
Al-Masaeid, A. (2011). Scientific thinking and its relationship with general self-efficacy among university students.
Islamic University Journal, 19(1), 679–707. (in Arabic)
Al-Mashikhi, G. B. (2009). Future anxiety and its relationship with self-efficacy and level of ambition among Taif University students (Doctoral dissertation, Taif University, Saudi Arabia). (in Arabic)
Al-Masri, N. (2011). Future anxiety and its relationship with self-efficacy and academic ambition among Al-Azhar University students in Gaza (Master’s thesis, Al-Azhar University, Palestine). (in Arabic)
Al-Nashawi, A. K. (2006). Self-efficacy and its relationship to personality traits among students of the Faculty of Specific Education, Mansoura University.
In Proceedings of the Conference on Quality Education and Its Role in Human Development in the Age of Globalization (Egypt). (in Arabic)
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.
Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanism in human agency. American psychologist, 37(2), 122.
Bandura, A. (1989). Regulation of cognitive processes through perceived self-efficacy.
Developmental Psychology, 25(5), 729–735.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.25.5.729
Bandura, A. (1997). Bandura (Vol. 2). FrancoAngeli.
Bandura, A. (1999). Social cognitive theory of personality. The coherence of personality: Social-cognitive bases of consistency, variability, and organization, 185-241.
Barlow, D. H. (2002). Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Bayoumi Khalil, M. A. (2000). Psychology of family relationships. Cairo, Egypt: Dar Qibaa. (in Arabic)
Beck, A. T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., & Steer, R. A. (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56(6), 893–897. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.56.6.893
Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Miller, G. E. (2007). Psychological stress and disease. JAMA, 298(14), 1685–1687. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.298.14.1685
Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136404
Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Lucas, R. E. (2003). Personality, culture, and subjective well-being. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 403–425. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145056
Duffy, J., Salt, G., Cole, S. N., Charura, D., & Shevchenko, J. (2025). Anxiety and Future-Self Clarity: Can Future Thinking Influence Self-Esteem?. Psychological Reports, 00332941251315091.
Fayed, A. H. (2001). Behavioral disorders. Cairo, Egypt: Faculty of Arts, Cairo University. (in Arabic)
Goldberg, D. P., & Williams, P. (1988). A user’s guide to the General Health Questionnaire. NFER-Nelson.
Goldberg, L. R. (1993). The structure of phenotypic personality traits. American Psychologist, 48(1), 26–34. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.48.1.26
Hassouna, S. (2009). Teaching self-efficacy among primary school science teachers.
Al-Aqsa University Journal, 13(2), 122–149. (in Arabic)
Hijazi, H. (2013). Self-efficacy and its relationship to professional adjustment and performance quality among resource room teachers.
Jordanian Journal of Educational Sciences, 9(4), 419–433.
Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer.
Luszczynska, A., Scholz, U., & Schwarzer, R. (2005). The general self-efficacy scale: Multicultural validation studies. The Journal of Psychology, 139(5), 439–457. https://doi.org/10.3200/JRLP.139.5.439-457
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2003). Personality in adulthood: A five-factor theory perspective (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized self-efficacy scale. En J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston (Eds.), Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35–37). NFER-Nelson.
Shaheen, H. S. S. (2012). Self-efficacy as an approach to reducing anxiety symptoms and improving academic achievement.
Damascus University Journal, 28(4). (in Arabic)
Spielberger, C. D. (1970). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Consulting Psychologists Press.
Spielberger, C. D. (1983). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Consulting Psychologists Press.
Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. (1977). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (Form X). Consulting Psychologists Press.
Szota, M., Rogowska, A. M., Kwaśnicka, A., & Chilicka-Hebel, K. (2024). The indirect effect of future anxiety on the relationship between self-efficacy and depression in a convenience sample of adults: revisiting social cognitive theory. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(16), 4897.
Zaleski, Z. (1996). Future anxiety: Concept, measurement, and preliminary research. Personality and individual differences, 21(2), 165-174.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Benmeridja Mustapha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
