Stress in Students Life - Stress Levels and Coping Mechanisms

Team Members - Jayshri Totewad, V. Tejaswini, V. Sneha

College students experience the stresses and strains of living in today’s world. They constantly face new situations where the outcome is often uncertain. Their sense of self-esteem and well-being is challenged by problems and time constraint for everything. The principle objective of this study is to determine what sources of stress are prevalent among undergraduate students, and to examine the nature of these stressors. Also we wanted to know how well students cope with their stress and to know about their coping techniques.

Most people encounter stress that lead them to rapid bodily changes such as feelings of emotional unrest causing the body strains with body aches. With repeated stressful situations, causes tension and pressures on the body that contribute to physical and psychological problems. When stress in college students is not dealt with effectively, they feel lonely and nervous with excessive worrying due to failure to cope with their negative feelings. Intra-personal, Inter-personal, academic and environmental stressors play major role in student’s life.

Relevant Studies:-

The National College Health Assessment of the American College Health Association Report (2001) revealed that during the year 2000, 76% of students felt overwhelmed and 22% were unable to function as a result of depression.

Presnall (2008) conducted the Student Stress Survey that showed the college students having high stress on school related issues some of them affecting their emotional and mental health. Furthermore, the survey polled 2,253 undergraduate students aged 18 to 24 randomly selected from schools nationwide and revealed that the primary sources of stress were financial problems, relationship, family problems, and extracurricular activities. Students used alcohol drinking, drugs and going out with friends as their immediate solutions. In this study, the most common forms of stress that students face were to get good grades, having to juggle school work with other responsibilities, making a decision about future career choice, and developing a variety of new interpersonal relationships.

Methodology:-

Participants

The population of this study consisted of the students enrolled in various Undergraduate programs in IIT. The sample was a random group of students belonging to the batches 2014, 2013, 2012 and mostly from 2011. A group of 104 students participated in the study on a voluntary basis. This sample included 56.73% males (N=59) and 43.27% females (N=45).

Data Analysis and Statistics

A questionnaire consisting of 13 questions was sent out to the participants. It consists of information related to gender, questions related to stressors, stress behavior and its effectiveness.

Various types of stressors, stress behavior are represented using frequency and percentage for each item. The classes of frequency being the five points: Highly Stressed, above average, Average, Slight Stress, No Stress. Multiple coping techniques can be chosen by a student. Likeliness to work under stress and personal level of stress are scaled from 1 to 5. Also if students are satisfied with their coping techniques is also studied on a scale of 1 to 5.

Results:-

Out of the total sample space (N=104) 59 respondents were male and 45 were female. The following shows the various statistics that were measured:

The various stressors among students are in the order Career plans (18%), Academics (17%), financial problems (15%), Relationships (14%), Family Responsibilities (13%), Health (12%) and extra-circulars (10%). These distribution of responses can be categorized under 28% of the stressors were interpersonal (includes roommate conflicts, relationship with boyfriend/girlfriend), 37% intra-personal (includes changes in sleeping habits, new responsibilities in Departments/Clubs, Financial problems) and 35% academics (include grades, assignment submissions, quizzes).

The results of these stressors on students’ shows positive results as most of them are showing interest and gaining motivation under stress. Also negative effects like nervousness, irritation, depression and fatigue are also prevalent among them. These stressors show strong emotional effect on students.

Majority students try to find solutions to break the stress and in unavoidable cases they divert their concentration.

Conclusion:-

1) Primary Source of stress in student's life is Academics and Career.

2) Due to stress, most of the students showed interest or motivation to complete the task.

Other major behavioral changes that are observed are depression, irritation and nervousness.

3) Coping mechanisms for most of the students include chat with friends, watching TV or movies and taking a nap. Few students have also mentioned their coping mechanisms as smoking and drinking alcohol which are injurious to health.

4) Male students are likely to work more under stress compared to female students.

5) Most of the students are comfortable with their stress levels although few reported to have high stress levels.

6) Most of the students are satisfied with their own mechanisms to fight stress. Few suggested that college administrators should consider incorporating stress management workshops specific to the needs of the college students.

Limitations:-

1) This study is limited to only premiere institutions and also sample data may not be enough to come to a strong conclusion.

2) Responses given by students may or may not be true.