COPING WITH LITERATURE ANXIETY

Abstract

Research has indicated anxiety affects academic performance. Literature anxiety as a psychological factor could affect student learning and performance. This paper highlights the coping strategies used by students to manage literature anxiety while learning Literature in English. The sample consisted of 21 students from University of Sains Malaysia selected from 101 students who participated in the initial phase of the research. The results of this study documented that the Behavioural Approach and Avoidance Actions, the Cognitive Approach and Avoidance actions and the Emotional Approach and Avoidance actions were utilised by the students to deal with their literature anxiety. Most of the students reported using Behavioural Approach actions. Cognitive avoidance actions were the least utilised by these students. This study concludes that there are actions taken by the students to deal with literature anxiety and reports that these could be new trends into understanding how students cope with literature anxiety.