Investigation of the differences of separation anxiety in secondary school students according to sociodemographic characteristics and its relationship with academic success level

In this study, it was aimed to examine the differences of separation anxiety symptom level in secondary school students according to socio-demographic characteristics and its relationship with academic achievement. Relational screening model was utilised in the study. The participants were 299 female and 293 male students studying in secondary schools. 'DSM-5 Separation Anxiety Disorder Severity Scale-Child Form' was used in the data collection process of the study. Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis H test and Spearman Correlation analysis were used in the analysis phase of the data obtained within the scope of the research in the SPSS 22.0 programme. At the end of the study, it was found that both the science and social studies grade point averages and the general grade point averages of the students were at the middle level. It was found that the level of separation anxiety in students showed a significant difference according to variables of age group, gender and grade level (p<0.05). On the other hand, it was determined that separation anxiety did not differ according to variables of the mother's education level, father's education level, cohabitation status of mother and father, employment status of mother and father, birth order and family income level (p>0.05). In addition, it was determined that there was no significant relationship between separation anxiety and grade point averages (p>0.05). As a result, it can be said that there is no significant relationship between the level of separation anxiety symptom and grade point average in secondary school students, but the level of separation anxiety symptom differs according to some demographic variables.