@Article{ijmhp.2025.070318,
AUTHOR = {Marta Reis, Catarina Noronha, Gina Tomé, Marina Carvalho, Nuno Neto Rodrigues, Margarida Gaspar de Matos},
TITLE = {Understanding Academic Evaluation Anxiety in Portuguese Adolescents: A Psychosocial and Educational Perspective},
JOURNAL = {International Journal of Mental Health Promotion},
VOLUME = {27},
YEAR = {2025},
NUMBER = {10},
PAGES = {1457--1470},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/IJMHP/v27n10/64308},
ISSN = {2049-8543},
ABSTRACT = { <b>Objectives:</b> Academic Evaluation Anxiety is a significant psychological concern among adolescents, with well-documented impacts on academic performance, emotional well-being, and school engagement. In Portugal, recent evidence suggests growing pressure on students to achieve high academic standards, with psychosocial variables such as resilience, perceived support, and school environment playing a crucial role. This study aims to examine the prevalence and psychosocial predictors of Academic Evaluation Anxiety in Portuguese students, and to identify risk and protective factors that inform educational practice. <b>Methods:</b> This cross-sectional, quantitative study analysed data from 3083 students (5th to 12th grade) from the 2024 National Study by the Observatory of Psychological Health and Well-Being. Validated instruments were used, including the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21), the Social and Emotional Skills Scale (SSES), the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) psychological symptoms and well-being indices, the Positive Youth Development (PYD) scale, and the School Environment Scale. Statistical analyses included descriptive measures, one-way ANOVAs, and multivariate linear regression. <b>Results:</b> Academic Evaluation Anxiety was significantly higher among female students (Mean = 2.80, SD = 0.93) compared to male students (Mean = 2.16, SD = 1.10), representing approximately 30% higher mean levels of anxiety in girls (<i>F</i> = 306.206, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Resilience (<i>β</i> = −0.38, <i>p</i> < 0.001), self-confidence (<i>β</i> = −0.07, <i>p</i> = 0.02), and creativity (<i>β</i> = −0.06, <i>p</i> = 0.01) emerged as protective factors, whereas cooperation (<i>β</i> = 0.23, <i>p</i> < 0.001), teacher relationships (<i>β</i> = 0.08, <i>p</i> < 0.001), bullying (<i>β</i> = 0.07, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and school environment (<i>β</i> = 0.05, <i>p</i> = 0.03) were positively associated with anxiety levels. <b>Conclusions:</b> Academic Evaluation Anxiety is highly prevalent among Portuguese adolescents, with girls reporting significantly higher levels than boys. Resilience, self-confidence, and creativity act as protective factors, while bullying, teacher relationships, cooperation, and negative school climate increase vulnerability. These findings highlight the need for whole-school strategies that strengthen socio-emotional competencies and create psychologically safe learning environments to support both well-being and academic success.},
DOI = {10.32604/ijmhp.2025.070318}
}