Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Test anxiety and procrastination in physiotherapy students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Manasi Desai
. Unnati Pandit 1
. Amruta Nerurkar 2
. Chhaya Verma 3
. Shruti Gandhi 4

1 Professor and Director, Department of Physiotherapy in Community Health, D. Y. Patil School of Physiotherapy, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

2 Associate Professor, Head of Department of Neurophysiotherapy, D. Y. Patil School of Physiotherapy, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

3 Professor and Head, Department of Physiotherapy, T. N. Medical College, B. Y. L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

4 BPTh, D.Y.Patil School of Physiotherapy, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Short‑term academic procrastination may be accompanied by negative outcomes
such as anxiety, stress, and depression. The current study aims to evaluate the two parameters of
procrastination and test anxiety in physiotherapy students and explore whether a relationship exists
between them.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross‑sectional survey with a prospective study design
was carried out over a period of 6 months. The study used a two‑staged cluster sampling method:
220 undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy students from colleges in Mumbai and Navi
Mumbai participated in the study, ensuring participation of students from each year of the course.
The Westside Test Anxiety Scale was administered to evaluate test anxiety, and the Academic
Procrastination Scale was used to evaluate procrastination. To illustrate the basic demographics
of the participants, descriptive statistics were used. A correlation matrix was used to analyze the
correlation between the two parameters.
RESULTS: The mean procrastination score of the physiotherapy students was 74.1. Amongst
undergraduates, the highest procrastination was seen in the 3rd Bachelor of Physiotherapy
students (mean = 76.7), whereas among postgraduates, the highest procrastination was seen in
Master of Physiotherapy 1 students (mean = 75.7). The mean test anxiety score was 3, indicating
moderately high test anxiety among students. There was a statistically significant, positive correlation
between test anxiety score and procrastination score (P value = 0.000, Pearson’s correlation
co‑efficient = 0.383).
CONCLUSION: Both test anxiety and the tendency to procrastinate were present among
undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy students, in varying degrees. There was a positive
correlation between the two factors.

Keywords

Academic success
motivation
physiotherapy students
procrastination
Test Anxiety Scale
time management
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 11, Issue 4
May 2021
Pages 1-7

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