Exam anxiety in connection with life orientation in upper secondary education students

<i>Background:</i> Exam anxiety is beginning to affect an increasing number of students.<i>Aim:</i> We sought to examine whether there is an association between exam anxiety and life orientation in secondary school learners.<i>Methods:</i> We used the Suinn's Test Anxiety Behavior Scale questionnaire to assess exam anxiety and the Life Orientation Test-Revised questionnaire to determine students' life orientation.<i>Findings:</i> Results revealed that the participants experienced a level of exam stress that could motivate them and prepare them for the evaluation situation. Female and secondary grammar school students had more exam anxiety than males and business school students. There was a moderate relationship between exam anxiety and life orientation, which was slightly pessimistic.<i>Conclusion:</i> A pessimistic or optimistic life orientation is one of the factors that may influence exam anxiety levels of secondary school learners.