ROLE OF GENDER AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ON EXAMINATION ANXIETY AMONG UNDERGRADUATES OF PLATEAU STATE UNIVERSITY, BOKKOS

ABSTRACT This study investigates the role of gender and emotional intelligence on examination anxiety among undergraduates at Plateau State University, Bokkos. The research aims to understand how these factors influence students' experiences of examination- related stress. Three hypotheses were tested: The findings revealed no significant main effect of gender on examination anxiety, with mean scores of 36.94 for males and 36.85 for females. In contrast, a significant effect of emotional intelligence was observed, with higher emotional intelligence correlating to increased examination anxiety (mean scores of 33.76 for low emotional intelligence and 40.03 for high emotional intelligence). Additionally, the interaction effect between gender and emotional intelligence was not significant. These results suggest that while emotional intelligence plays a critical role in shaping examination anxiety, gender does not significantly influence this experience among the study's participants. The study contributes to the understanding of examination anxiety in academic settings and highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in managing stress during examinations. Further research is recommended to explore additional factors influencing examination anxiety.