ANXIETY AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG UNDERGRADUATES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN (UGBOWO CAMPUS), BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

This study investigated the prevalence, types, and impact of anxiety on academic performance and wellbeing among undergraduate students at the University of Benin, Ugbowo Campus, Benin City, Nigeria. Anxiety, characterized by excessive worry, fear, physiological arousal, and cognitive interference, has become a pervasive mental health challenge among university students globally and in Nigeria, exacerbated by academic pressures, economic hardships, infrastructural deficits, erratic academic calendars, and socio-cultural factors. The study was guided by four specific objectives: (1) to determine the prevalence of anxiety and its relationship with academic performance; (2) to identify the prevalent types of anxiety; (3) to examine the relationship between anxiety and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA); and (4) to explore the effects of anxiety on students’ overall wellbeing. It adopted an ethnographic research design with survey elements, underpinned by Power-Control Theory and Cognitive Interference Theory. A sample of 120 full-time undergraduate students was selected through multi-stage sampling techniques (random selection of faculties and departments, followed by stratified sampling by level of study and gender). Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered face-to-face and analyzed with descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and tables) using SPSS. The findings revealed a high and escalating prevalence of anxiety among undergraduates, with levels significantly higher than at entry into the university. Test/examination anxiety was the most dominant type, followed by general worry, career/future anxiety, and financial worries. Anxiety was perceived to substantially impair concentration, study habits, class attendance, and CGPA, although moderate anxiety was noted by some as potentially facilitative. On wellbeing, anxiety was associated with poor sleep, physical symptoms, emotional exhaustion, social withdrawal, and strained relationships. Students predominantly relied on informal coping strategies such as prayer and peer support, with low awareness and utilization of formal university mental health services. The study concludes that anxiety constitutes a significant barrier to academic success and holistic student development at the University of Benin. It recommends the strengthening of institutional counselling services, integration of mental health education into academic programs, policy reforms to reduce academic stress, and broader governmental support for student mental health. These interventions are essential for improving academic performance, retention, and the overall quality of higher education in Nigeria. Keywords: Anxiety, academic performance, CGPA, undergraduate students, University of Benin, mental health, wellbeing, test anxiety.