Vol. 5 No. 1 (2025): KANO JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (KaJEP)
Articles

Parental Expectations, Test Anxiety and Mental Health of First-Year Undergraduate Students in Tertiary Institutions in Gusau Metropolis, Zamfara State, Nigeria

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  • Mohammed Dakasku USMAN,
  • Abdulkarim Olatunji ABDULKADIR
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59479/jiaheri.v5i1.108
Categories

Published 10/16/2025

Keywords

  • Test Anxiety,
  • Parental,
  • Mental Health,
  • Tertiary Institutions

How to Cite

USMAN, M. D., & ABDULKADIR, A. O. (2025). Parental Expectations, Test Anxiety and Mental Health of First-Year Undergraduate Students in Tertiary Institutions in Gusau Metropolis, Zamfara State, Nigeria. Journal of Institute of Africa Higher Education Research and Innovation (IAHERI), 5(1), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.59479/jiaheri.v5i1.108

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among parental expectation, test anxiety on mental health among first-year undergraduate students in tertiary institutions in Gusau Metropolis, Zamfara State, Nigeria. The research was guided by two objectives: to determine the relationship between parental expectations and mental health; and to determine the relationship between test anxiety and mental health. The study adopted a correlational research design and was underpinned by the Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Stress and Social Cognitive Theory. The study population consisted of 2,562 first-year students across all tertiary institutions in the Gusau metropolis of Zamfara State. A sample of 357 students was selected from the population using stratified random sampling across various public tertiary institutions in the metropolis. Three standardized instruments were used for data collection: the Parental Expectation Scale (PES), Student Test Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Mental Health Inventory (MHI). The instruments possess content validity while the internal consistency of each instrument was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha. The reliability coefficients obtained were 0.73 for the Parental Expectation Scale, 0.90 for the Student Test Anxiety Inventory and 0.75 for the Mental Health Inventory. The instrument was administered to a total of 357 students, who make up the sample for the study with the aid of trained research assistants at their respective institutions. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) Analysis. The findings of the study revealed that parental expectations did not show a significant influence on students’ mental well-being. In contrast, the study found that test anxiety had a meaningful and noticeable impact on the mental health of students. Among the two, test anxiety emerged as the most influential and statistically significant factor contributing to variations in students’ mental health. Based on these findings, the study concludes that parental expectations, despite often being perceived as pressure points for students, do not significantly affect their mental health in this study. However, test anxiety stands out as a crucial determinant of mental health among first-year students. One key recommendation from the study is that school counsellors should engage parents through seminars to help them set realistic and supportive expectations that do not burden students emotionally.

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