Stress in College Students

Hudd and colleagues (2000) found that about 52% of college students reported having high levels of stress during the semester. There are several risk factors for stress amongst college students. Lau and colleagues (2006) found that those low in extraversion and conscientiousness reported fewer coping strategies, making stressful events harder for them to deal with. The amount of stress experienced may be influenced by the individual's ability to effectively cope with stressful events and situations, and may relate to an individual’s self-efficacy (D'Zurilla & Sheedy, 1991; Roddenberry, 2007). Unfortunately, stress may lead some to drop out of college. According to College Atlas (2016) 70% of Americans will study at a 4-year college, but less than 2/3 will graduate with a degree. Eighty-six undergraduate students, enrolled in an Introductory Psychology course, contributed data to this investigation. Students provided demographic information and then completed a series of questionnaires meant to assess their personality, alongside their satisfaction with social relationships, and their stress and self-efficacy. We hypothesized that stress levels would be higher in individuals who were introverts rather than extroverts, in those who experienced less satisfaction with social relationships, and in those who had fluctuating sleep patterns. We also hypothesized that college students with higher stress levels would struggle more academically. Preliminary analyses are currently underway and indicate some support for these hypotheses. Results, and implications of the results, will be discussed in more detail during the presentation.