The association between online class-related anxiety and academic achievement among undergraduates

Online classrooms have become an important way to cope with the uncertainty of changing teaching and learning contexts in universities since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this learning mode has caused new physical and mental health issues, such as online class-related anxiety. We investigated the association between online class-related anxiety and undergraduates’ academic achievement. The results showed that online class-related anxiety had a negative correlation with undergraduates’ academic achievement. Intrinsic school motivation mediated the relationship between online class-related anxiety and academic achievement, but extrinsic school motivation suppressed the negative link between these variables. Gender played a moderating role in the process of online class-related anxiety affecting academic achievement. This study expands the research perspective of achievement emotion theory, especially in the online learning environment. Emotional intervention strategies can be adjusted according to the gender of college students to promote the improvement of academic achievement.