Learning Style of Undergraduate University Students with Anxiety

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between anxiety and learning styles among undergraduate students, focusing on how anxiety influences their preferred learning modalities. Learning styles, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, are shaped by individual preferences and cognitive traits. Anxiety, which impacts cognitive functions, may also affect learning behaviors, but this intersection is underexplored, especially in the Pakistani academic context. A qualitative case study design was used, with purposive sampling to select ten undergraduate students diagnosed with anxiety using the GAD-7 scale. The VARK questionnaire assessed learning styles, and unstructured interviews provided insights into students’ experiences. Most participants preferred kinesthetic learning, with common themes of avoidant behavior, difficulty focusing, and social interaction challenges due to anxiety. Instructors should adapt teaching strategies to accommodate anxiety-related learning preferences, such as providing flexible, interactive learning environments and personalized study approaches. Further research is needed on anxiety’s long-term impact on learning