Date Presented

Spring 4-2026

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Dr. Wendy Williamson

Second Advisor

Dr. Allison B. Jablonski

Third Advisor

Ms. Kimberly Geier

Abstract

Going to college may seem like the next obvious step for some graduating high school students, while for other students, it is not part of their plan. Even though some high school students have their college experience planned and are prepared to start this journey, their experience can drastically change. A myriad of problems for the new and upcoming students can arise, with one of those problems being generalized anxiety. High school provides students with structured eight-hour days, lunch breaks, and teachers who make sure they attend class. College, on the other hand, does not provide students with these luxuries. New students may have an advisor to assist them, but ultimately, they are on their own. A full-time student takes on several hours of schoolwork, both in lecture and lab, along with social hours outside of class. This extreme change in work and social hours can be overwhelming when compared to previous high school responsibilities. Self-reported surveys have shown that anxiety is prevalent in college students. The study that was conducted by the student researcher suggests there is a measurable physiological response that is present with generalized anxiety. The physiological response may then affect the students’ academic performance. This investigation aims to bring further understanding about anxiety, the physiological response of anxiety, and how/if anxiety plays a role in the academic performance of college students. This study focuses on academic performance to show the difference between a student who is academically excelling and a student who is not. A student who is performing well academically will likely handle stress and other endeavors more positively. On the contrary, a student who is performing poorly academically has the added stress of attaining better grades. Examining the physiological responses linked to anxiety in college students can offer researchers a more comprehensive understanding of its effect on students' well-being. With more research, institutions can eventually develop targeted interventions that alleviate academic stress and enhance performance in students. The hypotheses of this experiment are (1) Cyberball, an anxiety stimulus, will increase physiological responses in electroencephalogram (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and heart rate, (2) Cyberball will have a negative effect on the performance of a cognitive task’s accuracy and time, and (3) the higher the GAD-7 score, the greater the change in physiological variables.

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