Guidance and Counselling Implications of Examination Anxiety as a Predictor of Students’ Attitude Towards Examination Malpractices

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between examination anxiety and students’ attitude towards examination
malpractices in tertiary institutions in Delta State. The population of the study consisted of 12,000 first year regular students in
eight tertiary invitations in Delta State. The proportional stratified sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 1,200
subjects who responded to the Examination Anxiety and Attitude Questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed with correlation
and multiple regression statistics and it was found that there is a positive relationship between examination anxiety and attitude
towards cheating in examinations. Students who possessed high examination anxiety were more predisposed towards cheating
in examinations. Therefore it was recommended that measures of examination anxiety could be used by Counsellors to identify
students who were likely to engage in examination malpractices so that proactive therapies could be administered on them prior
to their sitting for the actual examinations.