Effects of Systematic Desensitization on Examination Phobia of Computer Engineering Students in Nigeria

The study explored effects of systematic desensitization on examination phobia of computer engineering students. Two research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. True experimental research design was adopted for the study. Voluntary sampling technique was used to compose a sample of 60 students used for the study. The instruments for data collection were Student Examination Phobic Traits Identification Questionnaire (SEPTIQ) and Examination Phobia Manifestation Scale (EPMS) developed by the researcher. The data collected for research were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation while the hypothesis raised in the study was tested at P < 0.05 level of significance using ANCOVA. Results showed that computer engineering students exposed to treatments using systematic desensitization had significant reduction on their examination phobia manifestation than those not exposed. In addition, gender was not found to be a significant factor influencing the manifestation of examination phobia. Based on the the findings, discussion was made. The educational counselling implications of the findings were highlighted. Subsequently, conclusion and recommendation were proffered.