An Empirical Review on Study Anxiety and Exploring its Prevalence in University Students of Pakistan

Abstract

University students are a distinct subset of community, characterized by specific characteristics and emotional reactions. This research includes a comprehensive survey conducted to examine study anxiety in general, as well as an empirical review addressing study anxiety in Pakistani university students. The survey findings revealed that study anxiety can be categorized into two types: social/functional anxiety and test anxiety. Test anxiety is a temporary condition that arises during examinations and dissipates afterward. However, social or functional anxiety is an ongoing concern that can escalate to a phobic level and even to trauma. Utilizing a standard self-assessment scale, this study examined university students in Pakistan and discovered that approximately 80% of students’ experience social or school anxiety. This alarming statistics clearly demonstrates the significant prevalence of social anxiety
among university students in Pakistan. Consequently, there is an urgent need to address this issue effectively.