The impact of self-awareness on anxiety levels in students during the pre-exam period

Abstract

         Student life requires processing a large and complex amount of information, which is associated with the need for maximum concentration of internal resources. When experiencing anxiety, it becomes difficult to concentrate on a task (assignment) that demands intellectual effort, such as preparing for an exam. Anxiety can impair cognitive functions—thinking, memory, perception, and information processing—which leads to a decline in academic performance. Anxiety is experienced as a subjective feeling of emotional discomfort (an internal sensation) and is often related to external factors. It commonly arises in the following situations: academic-related anxiety during the learning process, anxiety related to self-perception, and anxiety stemming from interpersonal relationships. In order to create effective learning conditions, it is essential for the student to work on themselves, to support and stimulate the process of self-realization. For this, self-awareness is important so that students can better understand themselves and identify their own needs. High self-awareness means having a clear understanding of one's strengths and weaknesses, as well as emotions, which in turn improves self-development and self-control. For mental health, it is important to strengthen one’s strong qualities. Those who are aware of their strengths have healthy self-esteem and are better able to cope with difficult (anxiety-inducing) situations. They are more capable of overcoming various life challenges. Self-awareness (the recognition of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors) as a component of self-regulation promotes self-regulation itself, which involves the ability to control and manage our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions in different situations. The goal of the research was to determine the relationship between students' self-awareness and their level of anxiety. Students from Telavi Iakob Gogebashvili State University participated in the study. Based on the research, certain conclusions were drawn and relevant recommendations were developed