Investigating the Levels of Stress and Coping Strategies Among Arts Stream, Male and Female University Students of Peradeniya
Buddhiprabha. D. D. Pathirana,
Senior Lecturer in Psychology,
Department of Philosophy & Psychology, University of Peradeniya
Author Note
Correspondence concerning this paper should be directed to Dr. Buddhiprabha D.D.Pathirana, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, at buddhiprabha2001@yahoo.com or buddhiprabha@pdn.ac.lk Investigating the Levels of Stress and Coping Strategies Among Arts Stream, Male and Female University Students of Peradeniya
Abstract
Individuals will experience stress in accordance with their subjective appraisals of the stressor. University students often complain about the stress they experience and endure during their academic life. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the nature and intensity of the events which created stress, and levels of stress experienced by the male and female arts stream students in the University of Peradeniya. Participants were 162 (97 female and 65 male) undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts. Levels of stress were measured by administering the Impact of Event Scale (IES), which measures subjective distress related to stressful life events. For the study Sinhalese version of the original IES developed by Mardi Horowitz (Horowitz, 1979), was used.
The independent sample t-test conducted to compare the type of the stressful events listed (Related to studies Vs not),
The minority students should have a higher tendency to experience stress than their counterparts. Researchers found that stressors are common in academic settings and are mostly associated with their language, nationality and cultural backgrounds. The historical alienation and length of residency have an impact on these groups (Rienties, Beausaert, Grohnert, Niemantsverdriet, & Kommers, 2012). Male and female students experience stress differently. They frequently vary in how they experience, perceive and handle stressful life events. The possible explanation for such difference
It is important to know how to manage stress in academic life as it is learning about how to balance work and academic life. It is also important for students after graduating and creates self-awareness such as weakness in them.
I needed to reduce my stress level if I wanted to get an A in the class. I used two coping strategies to overcome the stress I had. The strategies were emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping. First, I decided to look
Discuss Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman’s and stress and coping paradigm and in view of this paradigm explain age and individual difference in the experience and handling of stress
Although most people do not acknowledge that a student’s gender has an impact on academic pressure, gender is an important cause of stress, more in women. In the article “37 Causes of High School Stress” by the College Planning Group, they note many causes like grades, friends, bullying, clubs, and parents but fail to mention gender as a cause. However, gender is a significant cause of academic pressure. In the article “Academic Stress Among College Students: Comparison of American and International Students” by Ranjita Misra and Linda G. Castillo, assert that, “In general, irrespective of their American or international status, women perceived greater reactions to stressors than men.” Misra and Castillo note that women do end up having more
It was confirmed by Perceived Stress Scale in the questionnaire for every student. Therefore, the variables were appropriate for the hypothesis.
Like many of the questionnaires utilized for research in the articles used for this literature review, it was anonymous, and administered and collected during class. This form of data collection provided high turn in rates allowing researchers to have a wide study scale. According to Hicks, T., & Heastie, S., contrasting levels of stress and coping mechanisms were present in these students. It was noted that traditional college students experience more psychological stress than their nontraditional student counterparts. In addition, during the first year of college, the amount of stress experienced by students is the highest in comparison to stress in the remainder of the years. These results are especially important because it stresses the need for a strong health and wellness center within colleges and universities.
Stress mindset: coping mechanisms to the rescue If you ask students to think of a few words that describe their university experience, stressful might be one that comes up frequently. In fact, stress is linked to a plethora of less than desirable factors. Namely, accelerated aging, headaches and even premature death (Epel, 2009; Martin, Lae & Reece, 2007; Vlastelica, 2008)! A common factor in these studies is that stress is viewed as a negative body reaction because it leads to moderate to serious medical issues. Stress seems to have garnered a bad reputation. However, what some may not realize is that stress can be advantageous and what it comes down to is a positive stress mindset. This study will consider how under certain circumstances, a positive stress
Thesis: Today I will discuss about sources and effects of student stress and efficient ways to manage this emotional and physical strain.
Correspondence concerning this paper should be directed to Dr. Buddhiprabha D.D.Pathirana, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, at buddhiprabha2001@yahoo.com
Stress is no new phenomenon. It’s been around as long as man and has captivated scholars and physicians alike. With the growing demand for degrees in the professional world comes the growth of the number of college students. The relationship between stress and college students has become the subject of on-going research. Several studies show that stress in college students is increasing with time and the authors of those studies are attributing this to an increased number of students. Other research seems to indicate that it isn’t necessarily the stress that is increasing but the awareness of it. Increased awareness of stress, and its unique toll on individuals, allows colleges and students to recognize
Nontraditional student numbers continue to rise on college campuses and few institutions meet the mental health needs for this special group of students (Carney-Crompton & Tan, 2002). It is the purpose of this study to examine both the stressors (i.e. triggers of the stress response) and perceived stress levels between traditional and nontraditional students.
Everybody has at least one thing in common. Can you guess what it is? If you guessed, heartbreak, you’re right, but that’s not the answer I’m looking for. The correct answer is stress. Everyone has stress in his or her life at one point or another. It’s one of many inevitable parts of life. Whether it’s busting out a research paper for Psychology at the last minute, expecting your first child to be born, to making sure you’re up in time to catch the Saturday morning cartoons, it’s clearly evident that everyone goes through stress. The real question is, how is stress handled in our society? A person is defined by how they handle the stressors in their lives and how they overcome stressful moments. This paper will explore the aspects of
Newth (2011) claims that modern day stress seems to be more widespread than ever causing interference with human intellect, emotional and interpersonal functioning. Therefore; I suggest that students will encounter stress and it will impact their academic performance. In this fast pace and performance driven society each organization needs well performing people. The only way we will know what people require to become productive and less stressed is to explore topics as my research question. The topic
Discuss Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman’s and stress and coping paradigm and in view of this paradigm explain age and individual difference in the experience and handling of stress