The main objective of this study was to investigate the association between final-year students' anxiety level and quality of life (QOL) with their academic achievements. A longitudinal study was performed in regular schools and in high-rated gymnasiums at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Multiple linear regression models were built for the association between level of anxiety/QOL with academic achievements. Type of school and gender-but not the level of anxiety-were the main predictors of academic achievements of 287 adolescents (e.g., for mathematics, the effect estimates were: β = -1.71 [95% confidence interval -2.21; -1.21]; β = -0.50 [-0.95; -0.06], β = 0.09 [-0.02; 0.20] for the type of school, gender, and changes in level of anxiety, respectively). To conclude, particular efforts should be made to reduce the level of anxiety in girls, especially those that study in high-rated schools.
Keywords: gender differences; high-rated schools; level of anxiety; students’ quality of life.