Exploring the Relationship between Achievement Emotions and Academic Performance in Dental College

Achievement emotions, such as anxiety, enjoyment, and confidence, significantly influence students' academic performance. Understanding these emotions can enhance educational strategies and student outcomes, especially in high-stress environments like dental colleges. Objective: To investigate the achievements and emotions effects on academic performance in Pakistani dental colleges. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Islamic International Dental College, using convenient sampling across all professional years. Students scoring 50% or higher were classified as "pass," while those below 50% were labeled as "fail." Achievement emotions were measured using the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire, and logistic regression was used to analyze their impact on performance. Data were processed using Jaffery Amazing Statistical Package (JASP). Results: The study included 212 students (average age 21.25 years, 73.6% female). Females had higher average scores (375.64 vs. 342.79) and pass rates (75.6% vs. 67.9%) compared to males. Day scholars outperformed hostilities (377.70 vs. 358.41). Anxiety was common, with 60.9% of students experiencing moderate to high levels. While 35.8% disliked exams, 34.4% felt moderate pressure, and 54.2% were moderately confident. Concerns about grades were prevalent, with 36.3% worrying about poor grades and 47.2% caring about good grades. Negative emotions significantly reduced the likelihood of passing (p = 0.040), whereas positive emotions did not have a significant effect (p = 0.367). Conclusion: Negative emotions significantly decreased the likelihood of passing exams, while positive emotions did not have a significant impact.