Student Anxiety: Effects of a New Graduate Student Orientation Program

Megan Hullinger, Roger Hogan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A significant issue for U.S. institutions of higher education is reducing the anxiety of students in order to help increase retention rates and improve academic performance. The purpose of this study was to analyze the anxiety levels of incoming graduate students at a Midwest regional state university to determine if an online student orientation program would assist in lowering those levels. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y-1 (STAI) was used to measure anxiety levels before and after an orientation program was administered. The population consisted of graduate students, with data indicating that anxiety levels of entering graduate students were significantly lower after completing the orientation program. The findings have implications for institutions seeking to understand anxiety levels of incoming students.
Original languageAmerican English
JournalAdministrative Issues Journal: Connecting Education, Practice, and Research
Volume4
StatePublished - 2014

Keywords

  • Graduate Students
  • State Universities
  • Anxiety
  • School Orientation
  • Gender Differences
  • Age Differences
  • Academic Degrees
  • Prior Learning
  • Statistical Significance
  • Program Effectiveness
  • Data Analysis
  • Pretests Posttests

Disciplines

  • Education

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