The Relationship Between Time Management Habits, Test Anxiety, and Academic Achievement Among 10th-Grade High School Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the time management habits, test anxiety levels, and academic achievement of 10th-grade- high school students. The study investigates the effects of students’ abilities to plan, manage, and use time efficiently on the level of anxiety they experience during examinations and on their academic achievement through a descriptive and correlational approach.

The study was conducted using the correlational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. While the population of the study consisted of 10th-grade high school students studying in Türkiye during the 2025–2026 academic year, the accessible population was limited to 10th-grade high school students in Kayseri. The sample consisted of 26 students selected on a voluntary basis.

A three-part structured questionnaire developed by the researcher was used as the data collection instrument. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: time management level, test anxiety level, and academic achievement information. The content validity of the instrument was established through expert opinions, a pilot study was conducted, and reliability analyses indicated that the scale was reliable at an acceptable level.

Research data were collected online through forms and analyzed using a statistical analysis program. Frequency, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation analysis, and simple linear regression analysis were used in the analysis of the data. The level of statistical significance was accepted as p < .05.

The findings revealed that students’ time management levels were above average, their test anxiety levels were moderate, and their academic achievement scores were high. As time management skills increased, test anxiety decreased, whereas academic achievement increased. In particular, students who established regular study schedules, set priorities, and controlled distracting factors were found to have both lower test anxiety and higher academic achievement. High levels of test anxiety, on the other hand, negatively affected students’ performance and showed a negative relationship with academic achievement.

As a result, the study demonstrates that time management skills are an important determinant not only of academic achievement but also of reducing test anxiety. Based on the findings, it is recommended that school counseling services and educational programs include more practices aimed at developing students’ time management skills.

Keywords: time management, test anxiety, academic achievement, high school students,