Levels of anxiety in university students during examination periods

Abstract

This study compared anxiety levels in medical students during midterm and final exams in the second semester of 2024, identifying potential significant differences between the two periods. A quantitative, descriptive-comparative study was conducted with 100 medical students from the Domingo Savio Private University in Bolivia. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) was administered at three points during the semester (first midterm, second midterm, and final). A randomized sample was used, including students over 18 years of age who participated in all assessments. The majority of students presented mild anxiety, which was more frequent during the final exam (66.97%). However, moderate and severe anxiety were higher during the second midterm (43.06%). The majority of the sample were women (66%), with a mean age of 20.25 years. The results indicated that academic anxiety does not follow a linear pattern but fluctuates, being higher during the middle stages of the semester. This may be related to the accumulation of academic workload and the perception of poor prior performance. It aligns with previous studies in Latin America that point to personal and contextual factors as triggers. It is recommended to implement institutional strategies for emotional support and stress management, especially during the intermediate semesters, to preserve the student's mental health and academic performance.