EFFECT OF EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES IN REDUCING SCREEN-INDUCED DISTRACTIONS ON ALGEBRA LEARNING OUTCOMES AMONG JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ALGEBRA.

Abstract Test anxiety is a persistent barrier to academic success, particularly in challenging subjects such as Algebra-an aspect of Mathematics. This study investigated the effect of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) ”tapping” on test anxiety among Junior Secondary School students in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was employed with 159 JSS2 students (86 males, 73 females), randomly assigned to experimental (n = 71) and control (n = 88) groups. The experimental group received EFT at the start of each Algebra lesson for four weeks, while the control group received conventional instruction. Data were collected using a custom-designed Algebra Achievement Test. Results showed a significant improvement in performance and a marked reduction in test anxiety among students exposed to EFT compared with the control group (p < 0.05). No significant gender differences were observed, indicating the technique’s effectiveness across male and female learners. These findings suggest that integrating EFT into classroom instruction can enhance students’ emotional regulation, focus, and performance in Mathematics.