Assessing The Prevalence Of Social Anxiety And Its Academic Impact Among Second-Year Diploma Students At P P Savani University, Gujarat

Abstract

Background: Social anxiety is a prevalent mental health disorder characterized by intense fear of being judged or evaluated negatively in social situations. It can significantly impact various aspects of a student’s life, including their academic performance. Students with social anxiety may struggle with classroom participation, group projects, and exam performance, leading to lower academic achievements.

Aim: The main aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of social anxiety and assess its impact on academic performance among second-year diploma students at P P Savani University, Surat, Gujarat.

Materials and Methods: This study adopted a quantitative, correlational research design. The sample consisted of 181 second-year diploma students who responded to an online survey. Data collection was carried out using a socio-demographic data sheet, the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A), and academic records (GPA) of the previous semester. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data, including frequency distribution, percentage, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and Chi-square tests.

Results: The findings revealed that a substantial percentage of students exhibited mild to moderate social anxiety, with 32.6% showing mild social anxiety and 29.3% moderate social anxiety. Based on the data, a significant but weak negative correlation was observed between social anxiety levels and academic performance (r = -0.013, p < 0.001). This indicates that social anxiety has a minimal yet statistically significant impact on academic outcomes. Additionally, significant associations were found between social anxiety levels and socio-demographic factors, such as father’s education (p = 0.002), father’s occupation (p = 0.002), and socioeconomic status (p = 0.005).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that while social anxiety is prevalent among second-year diploma students, its direct impact on academic performance is minimal. However, socio-demographic factors such as parental background and socioeconomic status significantly influence social anxiety levels. This underscores the importance of incorporating these variables into interventions to effectively address social anxiety and support student well-being.