EXAMINATION ANXIETY AND CHEATING BEHAVIOUR AMONG STUDENTS IN ITU LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AREA, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

support. ABSTRACT This study investigated examination anxiety and cheating behaviour among secondary school students with particular focus on Itu Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. Some related literature were reviewed and major concept variables were arrived at. On the basis of these variables, three (3) research questions were raised and later transformed into three (3) research hypotheses. To generate data to test these hypotheses, a 20 item instrument was developed by the researcher and validated by the supervisor and an expert in test and measurement. The instrument was titled “Examination anxiety and cheating behaviour questionnaire (EACBQ)”. The validated instrument was then administered to 200 students in five selected secondary schools in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The data generated were prepared by coding and scoring to yield numerical data. The data extracted were stored in a data bank and was extracted and used for a statistical analysis of the study. The analysis was done using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient(r) throughout statistics. Thus, the study revealed significance relationship between the variables.Based on the research findings, the study concluded that examination anxiety is related to cheating behaviour among secondary school students. That is, pre-examination anxiety, real-time examination anxiety, and post examination anxiety are related to cheating behaviour among secondary school students. On the basis of the findings of this study, recommendations were made that; Students should avoid social events that would lead to anxiety before and during examination, Examination friendly environment should be provided with adequate facilitiesetc among others.