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Rajshahi University journal of life & earth and agricultural sciences ISSN 2309-0960
Vol. 44-45: 27-32, 2016-2017
Social Anxiety and Academic Achievement of Children
Sabina Sultana1*, Anjuman Shirin2 and Md. Shofiqul Islam3
1 Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Rajshahi,
Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
3 Former Student, Department of Psychology, University of Rajshahi,
Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
*Corresponding author: sabinasultana@yahoo.com
Abstract
The present study investigated relationship between social anxiety and academic
achievement of children. Data were collected from 200 children (100 boys and 100 girls)
selected randomly from different schools of Rajshahi city, Bangladesh. Bangla version
(Sultana, Shirin & Islam, 2017) of Social Anxiety Scale (La Greca et al. 1988) was used to
measure their social anxiety and the respondents’ previous final examination grade
point average (GPA) was considered as their academic achievement. The respondents
were classified into three groups -- high (above 75th percentile), medium (from 25th to
75th percentile) and low (below 25th percentile) on the basis of their obtained social
anxiety scores. Data were analyzed employing one way analysis of variance (ANOVA)
and t-test. Results through one way ANOVA showed a significant difference in academic
achievement among the three social anxiety groups. The results through t-test also
revealed that academic achievement of lower social anxiety group was significantly
higher than from medium and high social anxiety groups.
Keywords: Social anxiety and academic achievement.
Introduction
Social anxiety is an illogical, chronic and intense fear in social situations. It is a discomfort
and inhibition feeling of a person that he / she may be the center attention and
evaluation in social context (Shields, 2004). Social anxiety disorder is also known as
social phobia (DSM-IV, APA, 1994). Socially anxious individuals are afraid of being
watched, judged and criticized negatively by others. They have perception of negative
social self-presentation (Schlenker & Leary, 1982). Social anxiety causes fear of social
rejection, personal distress and impairment of interpersonal and occupational
functioning. It is continually found inlate childhood and early adolescence for cognitive
progress and increased pressures. Socially anxious children face extreme distress in
different social situations such as reading in class, speaking publicly in school, playing or
interact with other children (Sigrun-Heideet al., 1995), they show social withdrawal and
avoidance (DSM-V, APA, 2003). Social anxiety hampers children’s social interactions and
relationships, attention to study, work completion and good school performance.
Generally academic achievement means to acquire knowledge from educational
institution. It is the degree of success of a student after a specific educational program
or training in a specific time by the instructor. It is measured by examination test
scores or by marks assigned by teachers or by both.
Rajshahi Univ. j. life earth agric. sic.
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Research on social anxiety and academic achievement has shown that children’s social
anxiety has a negative effect on their academic achievement (Brook & Willoughby,
2015; Hurley, 2017).
Clark and Wells (1995) reported that socially anxious children waive learning
opportunities by avoiding interaction, physically or psychologically. They excessively
focus on anxieties that distract their attention to academic information. Stein and
Kean (2000) in their one study found that high level of social anxiety increased risk of
examination failure. Strahan (2003) conducted a study on the effects of social anxiety
and social skills on academic performance. The findings showed that social anxiety
negatively contributed to the prediction of Grade Point Average in first semester, but
did not remain significant over 2 years. Austin (2004) conducted a study on social
anxiety disorder, shyness, and perceived social self-efficacy in college students. He
reported that socially anxious students judged their competence poorly, when
participating in a seminar or presentation. Othman et al. (2010) conducted a study to
find out relationship between social anxiety and academic performance among
engineering students. The results showed that there was a significant correlation of
high level social anxiety and low academic performance among engineering students
(r = .264, p = .000). Van Ameringen et al., (2003) conducted a study about the impact
of anxiety disorders on educational achievement. They reported that social anxiety
had significant effects on failure to complete school. The above review of literature
clearly stated that social anxiety has detrimental effect on academic achievement.
Rationale of the study
Good academic achievement is essential for fruitful acquirement in life because it
gives children opportunities for higher education, better occupational career and
productive life. In contrast low academic achievement causes stress, hopelessness,
depression, delinquency and substance abuse. Empirical studies reveal that frequent
and intense level of social anxiety brings failure in academic achievement (Stein and
Kean, 2000; Van Ameringen et al., 2003). As children are the future of a nation they
should have higher academic achievement. No study in this area has yet been done in
Bangladeshi cultural context. From the findings of the present study parents and
teachers may know about the impact of children’s social anxiety on their academic
achievement. They can be able to take proper steps for overcoming children’s social
anxiety. Their attention and proactive interventions will increase children’s self-
concept and motivate them properly for higher academic achievement. The present
study will enhance further research in this area.
Objective of the study
The objective of the present study was to find out whether there is any relationship
between academic achievement and social anxiety of children.
Method
Sample
The sample of the present study constituted of 200 respondents (100 boys and 100
girls) were selected randomly from different high schools (two Co-educational, one
Boys’ and one Girls’ Schools) of Rajshahi city, Bangladesh. Their age ranged from 11 to
14 years. Their education level ranged from classes 6 to 8.
Social Anxiety and Academic Achievement of Children 29
Measuring Instruments
The following instruments were used in this study:
(1) The Personal Information Form (PIF)
The PIF elicited demographic, personal, and social information about respondent’s
gender, age, name of school, class, result of previous annual examination, and family
socio-economic status.
(2) Social Anxiety Scale for Children (SASC)
The original SASC scale was developed by La Greca et al.(1988). Sultana, Shirin & Islam
(2017) traslated it into Bangla. Items of SASC scale were selected to tap affective,
cognitive and behavioral concomitants of social anxiety. The scale had ten items.
Items of SASC scale were answered on three points scale (0 = never true; 1 =
sometimes true and 2 = always true). Scores of this scale run from 0, the lowest
possible to 20, the highest possible. Cronbach’s Alpha for the total SASC Scale was .76
and the two-week test-retest reliability (N = 102) was .67. Concurrent validity was
estimated for the SASC scale. Scores on the SASC correlate highly (r =.57) with scores
on the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS). Popular children score
significantly lower on the scale than less popular children (Sociometrically neglected
and rejected children). SASC scores correlated -.18 (p < .001) with overall liking by
peers. In the present study four specialists (departments of English, Bangla,
Psychology and Sociology) corrected the Bangla version of SASC for determining its
face validity. Cronbach’s Alpha (α) for the Bangla version of SASC scale was .57 and
split-half reliability was .62.
(3) Measurement of Academic Achievement
In this study as the respondents were students of class six, seven and eight, their
previous annual examination results (GPA) were considered as their academic
achievement. Higher GPA is indicator of higher academic achievement.
Design of the Study
The present study was designed to investigate whether academic achievement of
children was related to social anxiety. The independent variable was social anxiety and
the dependent variable was academic achievement. The respondents were classified
into three groups of social anxiety-- (1) High group (above 75th percentile), (2) Medium
group (from 25th to 75th percentile) and (3) Low group (below 25th percentile) on the
basis of their obtained scores on Social Anxiety Scale. The respondents’ previous
annual examination grade point average was considered as their academic
achievement. Comparisons were made among the three groups by using one way
analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test.
Procedure
In the present study, a standard data collection procedure was followed to collect
data from the respondents. After getting permission from authorities and concerned
teachers of each school the authors established rapport with the respondents and
briefed about the purpose of the study. They were assured of the confidentiality of
their answers. Then the Personal Information Form and Bangla version (Sultana, Shirin
Rajshahi Univ. j. life earth agric. sic.
30
& Islam, 2017) of Social Anxiety Scale for Children were administered to each
respondent. The respondents were instructed to read the items of the questionnaires
attentively and to respond accordingly, not to omit any item in the questionnaires and
finish their tasks without wasting time though there was no time limit. Finally they
were thanked for their sincere participation in the study.
Results
The obtained data were analyzed by using one way ANOVA and t-test. The results of
the present study are presented in the following tables.
Table 1 : One way ANOVA of academic achievement scores among high, medium and
low social anxiety groups.
Source of variation Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Between groups 11.071 2 5.536 18.496 .001
Within groups 58.961 197 .299
Total 70.032 199
Results in table 1 shows a highly significant difference among the three groups (high,
medium and low) of social anxiety (F = 18.496, p < .001) which indicate that academic
achievement varies with the different levels of social anxiety.
Table 2 : Comparisons among three social anxiety groups on academic achievement
scores.
Group N Mean SD df t Sig.
High and
Low
26 3.86 .41 64 6.67 .001
40 4.68 .53
High and
Medium
26 3.86 .41 158 5.01 .001
134 4.45 .57
Medium
and Low
134 4.45 .57 172 2.29 .05
40 4.68 .53
Results in Table 2 indicate a significant difference in academic achievement (t = 6.67,
df= 64, p < .001) between high (M = 3.86) and low (M = 4.68) social anxiety groups.
The results show a significant difference in academic achievement (t = 5.01, df = 158, p
< .001) between high (M = 3.86) and medium (M = 4.45) social anxiety groups and a
significant difference in academic achievement (t = 2.29, df= 172, p < .05) between
medium (M = 4.45) and low (M = 4.68) social anxiety groups. So, the academic
achievement of the low social anxiety group is higher than those of the high and
medium groups and the academic achievement of medium group is higher than that
of the high social anxiety group.
Discussion
The present study was conducted to investigate whether academic achievement of
children was related to their social anxiety. Bangla version (Sultana, Shirin & Islam,
2017) of Social Anxiety Scale (La Greca et al., 1988) were administered on 200 children
of different schools of Rajshahi city, Bangladesh. The respondents were divided into
three groups--- high, medium and low on the basis of their obtained social anxiety
Social Anxiety and Academic Achievement of Children 31
scores. Comparisons were made on social anxiety scores among these three groups
using one way ANOVA and t-test. The results of ANOVA in table 1 show that academic
achievement of the respondents varies as a function of social anxiety. And the results
in table 2 reveal that academic achievement of low social anxiety group is significantly
higher than that of medium and higher social anxiety groups. The results also indicate
that academic achievement of medium social anxiety group is also significantly higher
than that of higher social anxiety group. So, it can be argued that social anxiety is
inversely related to children’s academic achievement. Socially anxious children
express fear, embarrassment, avoiding participating in new activities. Approaching
and interacting with academic environment are essential for learning process.
According to the self-presentation theory (Schlenker and Leary, 1982) fear of being
devalued in relationship by others inhibits socially anxious children engaging with the
academic environment. They are inable to obtain their own favourable academic
achievement and particular interpersonal goals through group study or discussion.
They have a poorer academic self-concept (Delgado Domenech, 2010). They refuse to
attend to school regularly and have inattentiveness to studies (Bandura and Walters,
1959). According to Bernstein et al. (2007) severe social anxiety is significantly related
to poorer social and leadership skills, greater attention difficulties and learning
problems in the classroom. VanAmeringen et al. (2003) reported that social anxiety
has significant impact on failure to complete school.
Therefore, it can be said that social anxiety significantly influences academic
achievement of children. Academic achievement is often a sign of an outstanding
intellect which can help the students in all the fields of their lives. The present study
would reflect on the opportunities how to develop higher academic achievement
reducing social anxiety. However, further researches with large number of
representative sample in this field are needed to be done.
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