ISSN 2039‐2117 Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences Vol. 2 (7) December 2011 85 Guidance and Counselling Implications of Examination Anxiety as a Predictor of Students’ Attitude Towards Examination Malpractices Moses C. Ossai Department of Educational Psychology Delta State College of Physical Education, Mosogar, P.M.B. 4088, Sapele, Nigeria Abstract The study investigated the relationship between examination anxiety and students’ attitude towards examination malpractices in tertiary institutions in Delta State. The population of the study consisted of 12,000 first year regular students in eight tertiary invitations in Delta State. The proportional stratified sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 1,200 subjects who responded to the Examination Anxiety and Attitude Questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed with correlation and multiple regression statistics and it was found that there is a positive relationship between examination anxiety and attitude towards cheating in examinations. Students who possessed high examination anxiety were more predisposed towards cheating in examinations. Therefore it was recommended that measures of examination anxiety could be used by Counsellors to identify students who were likely to engage in examination malpractices so that proactive therapies could be administered on them prior to their sitting for the actual examinations. Keywords- Guidance, Counselling, Examination, Anxiety. Introduction Examination anxiety which is also referred to as “test anxiety” in literature is a state of uneasiness, worry or feelings of uncertainty about an impending or on-going evaluation programme (Okorodudu & Ossai, 2004). Examination anxiety as an educational phenomenon is well documented in research literature. For example, Spilberger & Vagg (1995) identified two types of anxiety states which impede academic performance. These are “State” and “Trait” anxiety. “State” anxiety manifest in form of tension, apprehension, nervousness and worry as well as other related physiological stimulation which emanate from the stimulation of the autonomic nervous system. “State” anxiety is identifiable from bodily reactions such as excessive perspiration, trembling hands, increased heartbeat and so on. These are symptoms of state anxiety. Most students actually experience “state” anxiety at the moment of taking important examinations but the degree of its intensity will depend among other things on the students’ level of Trait Anxiety. Trait anxiety is a relatively stable proneness to react to situations or impending events with high level of worry or apprehension. Trait anxiety accounts for individual differences in the tendency to respond to situations perceived as threatening with elevations in “state” anxiety symptoms. For example, the amount of “state” anxiety exhibited by a student who is preparing for or actually writing examinations will depend on the students’ level of trait anxiety. Hence, individuals could be classified as having either high or low examination anxiety levels. Studies have shown that high levels of trait examination anxiety lead to poor academic achievement (Mealey & Host, 1992; Austin, Partridge, Bitner & Wadlington, 1995; Cassidy, 2001; Sweetnam, 2002; Okorodudu & Ossai, 2004). Typically, students who are high on examination anxiety tend to perform poorly in academic work due to their lack of knowledge in the subject matter as well as the cognitive distraction created by task-irrelevant thinking in the examination situation (Musch & Brother, 1999). Based on this premise of high examination anxiety leading to poor academic performance, the present study seeks to examine the relationship between examination anxiety and students’ attitude towards examination malpractices. The study intends to establish levels of examination anxiety as likely predictors of students’ proneness to engage in examination malpractices.