Document
Metadata
Authors
Abdirahman Ahmed Mohamoud, Mukhtaar Axmed Cumar, Jibril Abdikadir Ali
Title
Psychological readiness for national examinations: study habits, anxiety, and motivation among secondary school students in Somaliland
Journal
Frontiers in Psychology
Year of Publication
2026
Abstract
Psychological readiness plays a critical role in how secondary school students prepare for high-stakes national examinations. This study examined the relationships among study habits, examination anxiety, academic motivation, and perceived readiness among secondary school students in Somaliland. A cross-sectional predictive correlational design was employed with a sample of 539 Form 4 students. Data were collected using a structured self-report questionnaire administered online. Pearson correlation analysis showed that study habits were positively associated with academic motivation (r = 0.610, p < 0.001) and perceived readiness (r = 0.628, p < 0.001), while examination anxiety was negatively associated with both study habits (r = −0.608, p < 0.001), academic motivation (r = −0.535, p < 0.001), and perceived readiness (r = −0.656, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that examination anxiety significantly and negatively predicted perceived readiness (B = −0.400, p < 0.001), whereas academic motivation (B = 0.202, p < 0.001) and study habits (B = 0.143, p < 0.001) were significant positive predictors. Together, the predictors explained 54.1% of the variance in perceived readiness. The findings show that perceived readiness is positively associated with stronger study habits and academic motivation, but negatively associated with examination anxiety, underscoring the need for comprehensive school-based support during high-stakes examination periods. Copyright © 2026 Mohamoud, Cumar and Ali.
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1776290
Category
Education and Behavioral Science