Sources Of Stress Among College Students

College Student Journal, June, 1999 by Shannon E. Ross, Bradley C. Niebling, Teresa M. Heckert

In conclusion, our results are suggestive as to the necessary components of a stress management program specific to the needs of college students. Given the detrimental effects of stress on health (Zakowski, Hall, & Baum, 1992) and academic performance (Wright, 1964), college administrators should consider incorporating stress management training in orientation activities. At a minimum, the sources of stress identified as the most common could be discussed with incoming freshmen. Furthermore, students should be informed of the campus resources available to help them address these resources. A better approach may be the use of a stress management workshop, specifically geared to the stressors encountered by college students. Certainly, stress in the college setting cannot be eliminated but we can and should do a better job preparing our students to manage it.

References

D'Zurilla, T. J., & Sheedy, C. F. (1991). Relation between social problem-solving ability and subsequent level of psychological stress in college students. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61(5), 841-846.

Gadzella, B. M. (1994). Student-life stress inventory: Identification of and reactions to stressors. Psychological Reports, 74, 395-402

Hirsch, J. K., & Ellis, J. B. (1996). Differences in life stress and reasons for living among college suicide ideators and non-Ideators. College Student Journal, 30, 377-384.

Insel, P. M., & Roth, W. T. (4th ed.). (1985). Core concepts in health. (pp. 29). Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield.

Kohn, J. P., & Frazer, G. H. (1986). An academic stress scale: Identification and rated importance of academic stressors. Psychological Reports, 59, 415-426.

Moore, K. A, Burrows, G. D., & Dalziel, J. (1992). Stress: How to define and challenge it. Mental Health in Australia, 32-40.

Rocha-Singh, I. A. (1994). Perceived stress among graduate students: Development and validation of the graduate stress inventory. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54(3), 714-727.

Romano, J. L. (1992). Psychoeducational interventions for stress management and well-being. Journal of Counseling and Development, 71, 199-202.

Sgan-Cohen, H. D., & Lowental, U. (1988). Sources of stress among Israeli dental students. The Journal of the American College Health Association, 36, 317-321.

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.

Wright, J. J. (1964). Environmental stress evaluation in a student community. The Journal of the American College Health Association, 12(5), 325-336.

Wright, J. J. (1967). Reported personal stress sources and adjustment of entering freshmen. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 14(4), 371-373.

Taylor, J. A. (1953). A personality scale of manifest anxiety. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 48, 285-290.

Zakowski, S., Hall, M. H., & Baum, A. (1992). Stress, stress management, and the immune system. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 1, 1-13.