Correlating biophysics anxiety and performance among biology students in two state Universities in Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of biophysics anxiety on the performance of biology students. It utilized a descriptive-correlational quantitative research design. A twenty-five item Biophysics Anxiety Rating Scale was adopted and modified to measure the level of biophysics anxiety among the one hundred twenty-six selected college students in Mindanao. The study found that there are four constructs formed, and all of them have a moderately anxious level of students’ anxiety. These constructs are as follows: construct 1 - lack of foundational knowledge, construct 2 - test taking and instructor’s presence, construct 3 - lack of laboratory skills, and construct 4 - lack of self-confidence. The majority (43.65%) of the students received a final grade of excellent. Additionally, no significant difference was observed in the level of anxiety between male and female students. Moreover, students’ demographic profile, such as the university attended, sex, and SHS strand, has no significant influence on the level of anxiety in biophysics. However, age is significant, implying that students in different age brackets may experience different levels of anxiety. Furthermore, there was no significant influence between the constructs manifested by students and their performance in biophysics. Thus, the level of anxiety among students is not an indicator of the performance of biology students. Further study is suggested to consider other factors that may contribute to the differences in the level of anxiety among biophysics students.