Anxiety and depression in academic performance: An exploration of the mediating factors of worry and working memory

Abstract

Anxiety and depression are linked to lower academic performance. It is proposed that academic performance is reduced in young people with high levels of anxiety or depression as a function of increased test-specific worry that impinges on working memory central executive processes. Participants were typically developing children (12 to 13-years-old) from two UK schools. The study investigated the relationship between negative affect, worry, working memory, and academic performance using self-report questionnaires, school administered academic test data, and a battery of computerized working memory tasks. Higher levels of anxiety and depression were associated with lower academic performance. There was support for a mediation hypothesis, where worry and central executive processes mediated the link between negative affect and academic performance. Further studies should test these hypotheses in larger longitudinal samples. Implications for school psychology practice and interventions in schools are discussed.

Test anxiety in school-age children: An examination of a national epidemic

“…Internal sources of test anxiety can have an equally detrimental effect. Students with negative affect, or low self-confidence, are much more likely to experience test anxiety that leads to poor academic performance (Owens, Stevenson & Hadwin, 2012).…”

Special Education a Provision and an Adjacent System – Exemplified Through Test Anxiety

“…Besides poor academic outcomes, association studies have shown a significant relation between TA and several mental and physical states as formally diagnosable disorders (e.g., depression, sleep-disturbance, SAD, GAD) (Carter et al, 2008;Owens, Stevenson, Hadwin, & Norgate, 2012). As an actual, critical and for some chronic condition, pervasive TA in the most severe cases meets the general DSM diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder (Bögels et al, 2010).…”

Anxiety/Depression And Academic Achievement In Adolescents In Prishtina

“…According to Owens (2012) :" a finding that schoolchildren and adolescents experiencing high levels of anxiety or depression are at risk for poor academic performance (Hembree, 1988) has been replicated in many countries including South Africa, Finland, Australia, the UK, Germany, the USA, and others".…”

“…The researches show that psychological problems like anxiety and depression affect academic achievement inversely; especially the high level of anxiety has more damaging effect on academic achievement and can lead to lower academic performance and poorer working mFkrasniqiemory function; because school tasks that involve more working memory are greatly affected (Owens et al, 2012). In same time this effect is due to poor school attendance and the negative behavior (Hughes, Lourea-Waddell & Kendall, 2008).…”