Students Adapting to University Life: Stressors and Coping Strategies

Authors

  • Varsha Dixit GAUTAM BUDDHA UNIVERSITY

Keywords:

stressors, supportive communication, self-punishment

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to clarify what is stress and why it’s important (particularly with respect to its effect on college going students) as well as identify the factors responsible for the same and the coping strategies.

Design/ Methodology: This paper is based on a review of the academic and popular stress management literature. Primary data is being used for identifying the stressors of Indian students who have recently joined a P.G. course.

Findings: Stress management is an important concept for the college going males and females. It stems in part from the widely shared belief that the youngsters of today are the future of tomorrow. They shall take organizations to competitive advantage; an essential asset that is becoming highly stressed. The benefits of implementing stress management exercises/techniques include healthy youth with n number of ideas, full of  energy and enthusiasm. These outcomes in turn are associated with improved performance of the organizations.

Practical Implications: We have a big pool of youngsters joining colleges for higher studies.  They are the future of tomorrow. If they remain highly stressed then it has a great impact on their performance and state of mind. In order to increase learning , sharpen their skills and improve performance it is necessary to decrease their level of stress and tell them about the coping strategies.

Originality/value: This paper would be of value to anyone seeking to better understand stress management or to improve student performance in colleges by coping with stress.

 

 

Author Biography

Varsha Dixit, GAUTAM BUDDHA UNIVERSITY

Assistant Professor

Department of Business Management

References

Abouserie, R. (1994). Sources and levels of stress in relation to locus of control and self-esteem in university students. Educational Psychology, 14(3), 323–330.

Blankstein, K.R.,Flett,G.L.,&Koledin,S.(1991). The brief college student hassles scale: Development, validation, and relation with pessimism. Journal of College Student Development, 32(3), 258–264.

Brougham, Ruby R., Zail, Christy M., Mendoza,, Celeste M. And Miller , Janine R.(2009), Stress, sex differences and coping strategies among college students, Springer Science+ Business Media, Vol 28, pp 85-97

Crespi, T. D., & Becker, J. T. (1999). Mental health interventions for college students: Facing the family treatment crisis. Family Therapy, 26(3), 141–147.

Dunkley, D. M., Blankstein, K. R., Halsall, J., Williams, M., & Winkworth, G. (2000). The relation between perfectionism and distress: Hassles, coping, and perceived social support as mediators and moderators. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(4), 437–453.

Durodoye, B.A., Harris, H.L. and Bolden, V.I. (2000). Personal counselling as a function of the community college counselling experience. Community college journal of research and Practice, 24(6), 455-468

Dyson, R., & Renk, K. (2006). Freshmen adaptation to university life: Depressive symptoms, stress, and coping. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(10), 1231–1244.

Frazier, P. A., & Schauben, L. J. (1994). Stressful life events and psychological adjustment among female college students. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 27(1), 280–292.

Harris, S. (1995). Body image attitudes and the psychological development of college women. Journal of Psychology, 129, 315-330

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCR/is_2_33/ai_62839434/

http://healthnet.rutgers.edu/stress/stressed_out.asp [accessed June 22, 2004]

Hudd, S., Dumlao, J., Erdmann-Sager, D., Murray, D., Phan, E., Soukas, N., et al. (2000). Stress at college: Effects on health habits, health status and self-esteem. College Student Journal, 34(2), 217– 227.

Korthage, J. (2003). Getting a grip on stress. Parks and Recreation, 38(5), 2-4

Large, R. (1999). Easing the strain of students stress. NEA Today, 18(1), 39-40

Larson, E. A. (2006). Stress in the lives of college women: ‘Lots to do and not much time.’ Journal of Adolescent Research, 21(6), 579–606.

Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.

Pierceall, E. A., & Keim, M. C. (2007). Stress and coping strategies among community college students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 31(9), 703–712.

Printz, B. L., Shermis, M. D., & Webb, P. M. (1999). Stress-buffering factors related to adolescent coping: A path analysis. Adolescence, 34(136), 715–734.

Pritchard, M. E., Wilson, G. S., & Yamnitz, B. (2007). What predicts adjustment among college students?: A longitudinal panel study. Journal of American College Health, 56(1), 15–21.

Ross, S. E., Neibling, B. C., & Heckert, T. M. (1999). Sources of stress among college students. College Student Journal, 33(22), 312–317.

Sasaki, M., & Yamasaki, K. (2007). Stress coping and the adjustment process among university freshmen. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 20(1), 51–67.

Towbes, L. C., & Cohen, L. H. (1996). Chronic stress in the lives of college students: Scale development and prospective prediction of distress. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 25, 199–217.

Burleson, B. R., & Goldsmith, D. J. (1998). How the comforting process works: Alleviating emotional distress through conversationally induced reappraisals. In P. A. Anderson, & L. Guerrero (Eds.),

Handbook of communication and emotion (pp. 246–281). San Diego: Academic Press.

Friedlander, L. J., Reid, G. J., Shupak, N., & Cribbie, R. (2007). Social support, self-esteem, and stress as predictors of adjustment to university among first-year undergraduates. Journal of College Student Development, 48(3), 259–274.

Misra, R., McKean, M., West, S., & Russo, T. (2000). Academic stress of college students: Comparison of student and faculty perceptions. College Student Journal, 34(2), 236–245.

Lopez, F. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). Dynamic processes underlying adult attachment organization: Toward an attachment theoretical perspective on the healthy and effective self. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(3), 283–300.

Dwyer, A., & Cummings, A. L. (2001). Stress, self-efficacy, social support, and coping strategies in university students. Canadian Journal of Counseling, 35(3), 208–220

wellness.rice.edu/documents/stress_and_college.pdf

www.essortment.com/family/stressmanagemen_sifb.htm

www.pcusa.org/nationalhealth/healthinfo/collegestress.pdf

www.uhs.uga.edu/stress/

www.womensforum.com/index.php?...stress...college-students...college

Downloads

Published

2016-06-15

How to Cite

Dixit, V. (2016). Students Adapting to University Life: Stressors and Coping Strategies. Asian Journal of Business and Management, 4(3). Retrieved from https://www.ajouronline.com/index.php/AJBM/article/view/1078

Issue

Section

Articles