Investigation of state-trait anxiety levels of high school students and self-handicapping behavior

This research is a cross-sectional study conducted to determine the relationship between self-handicapping behavior, which is known to greatly affect individuals' social and academic life, with state and trait anxiety levels considering also demographic variables. The sample group of research consists of 539 high school students in the 10th and 11th grade, studying at Anatolian and Imam Hatip High Schools in the central districts of Seyhan, Çukurova and Yüreğir in the city center of Adana in the academic year 2020-2021. "Self-Handicapping Scale" to measure the level of self-handicapping behavior, which is the dependent variable of the research; "State-Trait Anxiety Scale" to determine the state anxiety and trait anxiety levels, which are the independent variables of the research, and the "Demographic Information Form" created by the researcher to determine the effect of other demographic variables were used. According to the analysis, it is found that female students sabotage themselves more than male students. It is concluded that students' self-handicapping levels differed with respect to their perceived income level, but there is no difference with respect to their grade level. According to the results of the correlation analysis, self-handicapping behavior is moderately positively correlated with state anxiety and trait anxiety, but it is concluded that the relationship between trait anxiety and self-handicapping behavior is higher than the relationship with state anxiety. These results are discussed in light of other studies in the literature and suggestions are provided.