Perspectives of Social Anxiety in Relation to Academic Performance among Undergraduate Students in Zanzibar

Abstract

This study dealt with perspectives of social anxiety in relation to academic performance among undergraduate students in Zanzibar. The study employed the descriptive design. The study purposely selected three out of six universities. The total population was 5,600 students from which the researchers selected a sample size of 230 subjects. The study used a questionnaire and an interview schedule as data collection tools. Data analysis took place through descriptive statistics and content analysis approach. Based on the findings, the study concludes that social anxiety is prevalent among university students in Zanzibar. Most of the students experienced moderate level of social anxiety with basic symptoms like reduced engagement in class activities and fear of public speaking.  Only a few exhibited mild to severe symptoms of social anxiety. The study recommends that universities in Zanzibar should provide students’ access to mental health services, providing counseling and therapy options to students with social anxiety. The universities should also provide workshops on stress management for students to managee their social anxiety symptoms effectively. They should also develop initiatives that promote inclusive and supportive classroom settings in terms of peer mentoring and group study sessions to reduce the participation and public speaking pressure.