This study examined academic stressors and their effects on academic performance among Senior Secondary School Students in Yola Education Zone, Adamawa State. The population comprised 28,874 students in 75 public senior secondary schools, from which 400 students were selected from 18 schools across Yola North, Yola South and Fufore LGAs using stratified proportionate and systematic random sampling techniques. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled Academic Stress and Academic Performance Questionnaire (ASAPQ), which was pilot tested and had a reliability coefficient of 0.82. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that students experienced academic stress from heavy workload, examination pressure, limited time for assignments, difficulty in understanding some subjects and parental pressure and financial difficulties. Excessive assignments, examinations, parental and teachers’ expectations, and inadequate learning materials were identified as major sources of stress. The study also found that academic stress affected students’ emotional well-being and relaxation. It was therefore concluded that academic stress is a major concern among students in the study area. The study recommends manageable academic workloads, proper examination scheduling, stronger counselling services and greater parental support.

Keywords: Academic stress, academic stressors, students’ academic performance, secondary education, stress management.