Study Habits and Anxiety Levels: Their Effects on the Academic Performance of Students in Mathematics

Students’ academic performance is a key indicator of their development, and addressing factors such as study habits and anxiety levels helps them sustain and achieve higher levels of success, particularly in mathematics. The study of Capuno et al. (2019) revealed that students with good study habits perform well in mathematics, while those with higher anxiety levels tend to perform poorly. Moreover, many high school students exhibit high anxiety alongside poor study habits and low academic performance in mathematics, making this one of the major challenges in mathematics education.
In Nigeria, a study conducted by Odiri (2015) on the relationship between study habits and mathematics achievement revealed that, based on data from 500 students across 25 public secondary schools, those with good study habits achieved better in mathematics, while those lacking them tended to perform poorly. Meanwhile, in Colombia, the study by Acevedo et al. (2020) involving 127 secondary students emphasized that mathematical anxiety and academic performance in mathematics are inversely related, meaning that higher anxiety corresponds to lower academic performance.
These challenges are also experienced in the Philippines, where Balbacal’s (2023) study on Junior High School students in Batangas revealed that those who consistently review, actively engage with lessons, and practice regularly achieve higher academic success than those with poor or irregular study routines. Meanwhile, in the same city, Reyes and Castillo’s (2015) study involving students who took the departmental examination in algebra and trigonometry found that test anxiety may affect students’ mathematics performance, as they obtained poor performance ratings and moderately experienced test anxiety.
At the local level, particularly at Diosdado Macapagal National High School, the researcher personally observes that most Grade 10 students exhibited signs of anxiety in mathematics, such as fear during tests and avoidance of board work or recitations. In addition, poor study habits were evident, including incomplete notes, delayed submission of assignments, and only a few students consulting teachers about the lessons. Lastly, their academic performance was generally below average, with some students failing to meet the required grade and only a small number achieving average or above-average results.
Given these considerations, this study is conducted at Compostela National High School, which is selected for its large Grade 10 population to ensure more reliable results. It investigated how study habits and anxiety levels relate to and predict students’ academic performance in mathematics, while addressing the lack of local research on this topic. Although previous studies have examined these variables separately or in different contexts, few explore their combined effects with sex as grouping variable of the independent variable. By addressing this gap, the study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of how these factors interact and to serve as a basis for developing effective teaching strategies and interventions that improve mathematics performance and promote student well-being in Davao de Oro

Study Habits, Anxiety Levels, Academic Performance, Mathematics Education, Secondary Students.

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