EXAMINING STRESS AND ITS ANTECEDENTS AMONG FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS Johanna Jacobs Naomi Beke
Introducing Study Guidance of the VUB
STUDY GUIDANCE WHO A motivated team of specialized counselors Study advisors Student psychologists Learning path counselors for each faculty 11-7-2017 4
STUDY GUIDANCE GOALS To increase your Study efficiency Student well-being 11-7-2017 5
STUDY GUIDANCE INDIVIDUAL Study path Exam results and study progress Special student facilities Feedback on exams Study method and planning Study stress or performance anxiety Writing a bachelor's paper/master's thesis Guidance for working students Not feeling comfortable with yourself Guidance for athletes Motivation 11-7-2017 6
STUDY GUIDANCE GROUP TRAINING SESSION Study plan Study skills Exam skills Planning for exams Dealing with stress Writing a Bachelor s paper/master s thesis How to start a bachelor or master thesis project? A bachelor or master thesis: the necessary steps Writing a bachelor or master thesis Thesis cafe Exam stress? Learn to relax 11-7-2017 7
STUDY GUIDANCE MEETING POINT For students who are unsure as to what kind of guidance they are looking for Without an appointment By telephone, e-mail or online scheduling page 11-7-2017 8
STUDY GUIDANCE STUDY PLACE Work in group Study in a quiet environment A place to go to between classes 11-7-2017 9
Introduction
EXAMINING STRESS AND ITS ANTECEDENTS WHY? Transition to higher education can be difficult (Gall, Evans, & Bellerose, 2000) Stress levels are rising amongst the student population (Robotham, 2008) Influence on students performance (Struthers, Perry, & Menec, 2000; Park et al., 2012) Need for more research to determine strategies (Robotham, 2008) 11-7-2017 11
EXAMINING STRESS AND ITS ANTECEDENTS INFLUENCING FACTORS FROM RESEARCH Self-efficacy (Chemers, Hu, & Garcia, 2001; Zajacova, Lynch, & Espenshade, 2005) (A)motivation (Struthers, Perry, & Menec, 2000; Baker, 2004; Park et al., 2012) Personality (Park et al., 2012) Social and academic integration (Wilcox, Winn, & Fyvie-Gauld, 2005; Rayle & Chung, 2007) Coping strategies (Struthers, Perry, & Menec, 2000) 11-7-2017 12
Method
EXAMINING STRESS AND ITS ANTECEDENTS OBJECTIVE Measure (a) the level of stress / anxiety / depression of first year college students (b) its antecedents (a) Student features (b) Institutional level Find indications for stress-reducing strategies (a) For the students (b) For the institution 11-7-2017 14
METHOD PARTICIPANTS Data were collected from 9 different bachelors from 5 faculties (N=558) Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences Social, psychologic and philosophic sciences (n=8) Psychology (n=53) Faculty of Law and Criminology Criminology (n=89) Law (n=184) Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Biomedical sciences (n=37) Pharmaceutical sciences (n=34) Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy Physical education (n=20) Physiotherapy (n=98) Faculty of Engineering Engineering sciences: architecture (n=33) 11-7-2017 15
METHOD MATERIALS Depression, anxiety and stress: DASS-21 a short form of Lovibond and Lovibond s (1995) 42-item self-report measure of depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS) Possible antecedents Self-efficacy Questionnaire from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich, 1991) Motivation Academic Self-Regulation Scale (Ryan & Connell, 1989) Personality Items from NEO-FFI: Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism (Costa & McCrae, 1992; Hoekstra, H.A., Ormel, J. & de Fruyt, F., 1996) Social and academic integration Institutional Integration Scale (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980) Study-related variables 11-7-2017 16
METHOD STUDY-RELATED FACTORS PART 1 Conflict with a fellow student or a roommate Conflict with a teacher Teamwork Relationship problems Family problems Financial problems Health problems Absence during classes Unclear administrative communication Working under limited time Deadlines Commuting time Heavy course load Being teached in a helpful way Speaking in a classroom 11-7-2017 17
METHOD STUDY-RELATED FACTORS PART 1 It s evident what study material to use Huge amount of lessons Thinking about (potential) problems with your study efficiency Thinking about bad perspectives on the job market 11-7-2017 18
METHOD STUDY-RELATED FACTORS PART 2 Death of a relative or peer A change in field of study Problems with housing A change in religion Difficulties adjusting as a student 11-7-2017 19
METHOD PROCEDURE 21 25 November 2017 Almost two months student at the VUB Paper-and-pencil questionnaire During specific courses 11-7-2017 20
Results
LEVELS OF DEPRESSION / ANXIETY / STRESS MEAN SCORES Sample size Subscale Mean score (SD) Severity All n= 558 Depression 7,63 (7,66) Normal Anxiety 7,49 (7,30) Normal Men Stress 11,29 (8,85) Normal n=191 Depression 6.87 (7.45) Normal Anxiety 6.05 (6.53) Normal Women Stress 8.21 (8.06) Normal n=366 Depression 8.05 (7.74) Normal Anxiety 8.26 (7.57) Mild Stress 12.92 (8.82) Normal Differences between men and women are significant for Anxiety and Stress (p=.000) 11-7-2017 22
LEVELS OF DEPRESSION / ANXIETY / STRESS MEAN SCORES: PUBLISHED STUDIES STUDENT POPULATIONS Sample size Subscale Mean score (SD) Severity Wong et al. (2006) n=7915 Depression 8.66 (7.54) Normal Anxiety 9.36 (6.42) Mild Bayram and Bilgel (2008) Stress 13.97 (8.15) Normal n=1617 Depression 10.03 (6.88) Mild Anxiety 9.83 (5.94) Mild Shamsuddin et al. (2013) Stress 14.92 (6.71) Mild N=506 Depression 11.04 (7.48) Mild Anxiety 11.77 (6.99) Moderate Stress 13.85 (7.25) Normal 11-7-2017 23
LEVELS OF DEPRESSION / ANXIETY / STRESS MEAN SCORES: PUBLISHED STUDIES PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS Sample size Subscale Mean score (SD) Severity Lovibond and Lovibond (1995) n= 717 Depression 7.19 (6.54) Normal Anxiety 5.23 (4.83) Normal Stress 10.54 (6.94) Normal NON-CLINICAL NORMS Henry and Crawford (2005) n=1794 Depression 5.55 (7.48) Normal Anxiety 3.56 (5.39) Normal Stress 9.27 (8.04) Normal 11-7-2017 24
LEVELS OF DEPRESSION MEAN SCORES: FACULTY DIFFERENCES - DEPRESSION DEPRESSION 9,31 8,00 7,38 7,89 7,07 Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Law and Criminology Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences Differences between faculties are not significant (p =.41) 11-7-2017 25
LEVELS OF ANXIETY MEAN SCORES: FACULTY DIFFERENCES 8,12 8,00 7,69 7,05 6,85 Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Law and Criminology Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences Differences between faculties are not significant (p =.79) 11-7-2017 26
LEVELS OF STRESS MEAN SCORES: FACULTY DIFFERENCES STRESS 13,28 9,39 11,66 10,76 10,22 Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Law and Criminology Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences Differences between faculties are not significant (p =.13) 11-7-2017 27
LEVELS OF DEPRESSION SEVERITY DISTRIBUTION (%) Normal Mild Moderate Severe Extremely severe 3% 4% 14% 10% 69% 11-7-2017 28
LEVELS OF ANXIETY SEVERITY DISTRIBUTION (%) Normal Mild Moderate Severe Extremely severe 9% 5% 18% 59% 9% 11-7-2017 29
LEVELS OF STRESS SEVERITY DISTRIBUTION (%) Normal Mild Moderate Severe Extremely severe 2% 6% 11% 12% 69% 11-7-2017 30
LEVELS OF DEPRESSION / ANXIETY / STRESS SEVERITY DISTRIBUTION (%): PUBLISHED STUDIES Sample size Subscale Normal Mild Moderate Severe Extremely severe Present study n=558 Depression 69.4 10.2 13.6 2.5 4.3 Anxiety 59.1 8.6 18.5 9.1 4.7 Bayram and Bilgel (2008) Stress 69.2 12.0 10.6 2.0 6.3 n=1617 Depression 51.8 21.2 19.0 6.1 2.0 Anxiety 40.2 12.7 26.3 14.5 6.3 Beiter et al. (2015) Stress 51.8 21.2 20.1 6.1 0.8 n=506 Depression 67 10 12 6.0 5.0 Anxiety 60 15 10 7.0 8.0 Stress 62 12 15 8.0 3.0 11-7-2017 31
HOW TO PREDICT STRESS? MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION Controlled motivation Selfefficacy Health problems Conscientiousness Stress Relationship problems Neuroticism Social integration Family problems 11-7-2017 32
Stress Self-efficacy Controlled motivation Social integration Autonomous motivation Academic integration Neuroticism Extraversion Conscientiousness 11-7-2017 33
Health problems Family problems Relationship problems Study material Stress Unclear communication Degree father Self-efficacy Conflict with a teacher Controlled motivation Study efficiency Autonomous motivation Helpful teaching Social integration Academic integration Teamwork Degree mother Job market Course load Neuroticism Extraversion Conscientiousness 11-7-2017 34
STUDY-RELATED FACTORS: PART 2 CORRELATIONS WITH HAVING STRESS: CUT-OFF = SEVERE No significant correlations: Gender Living in a dorm Guidance Having his/her own study place Death of a relative or peer A change in field of study A change in religion Significant correlations: Problems with housing (p =.002) Difficulties adjusting as a student (p =.000) 11-7-2017 35
STUDY-RELATED FACTORS: PART 2 CORRELATIONS WITH HAVING STRESS: CUT-OFF = MODERATE No significant correlations: Living in a dorm Having his/her own study place A change in field of study A change in religion Significant correlations: Gender (p =.000) Guidance (p =.007) Death of a relative or peer (p =.001) Problems with housing (p =.002) Difficulties adjusting as a student (p =.000) 11-7-2017 36
DIFFICULTIES ADJUSTING AS A STUDENT FREQUENCIES 32.3% of all the students (n=558) and 57.1% of students with stress (n=105) said they had difficulties adjusting as a student 11-7-2017 37
GUIDANCE DO STUDENTS WITH STRESS FIND HELP? 12.4% of students with stress (n=105) have looked for guidance 11-7-2017 38
GUIDANCE DO STUDENTS WITH STRESS FIND HELP? HYPOTHESES Awareness It s who I am Sense of shame Self-resolving attitude 11-7-2017 39
Implications
STRESS-REDUCING STRATEGIES STUDENTS Workshops during first month of the academic year Introduction moment Study Guidance during kick-off weeks Study skills Study choice Self-efficacy and awareness Workshops during the semester Performance anxiety / fear of failure (training) Dealing with stress (training) Talking in front of groups (training) Study / exam skills Assertiveness training Ruminating Procrastination 11-7-2017 41
STRESS-REDUCING STRATEGIES STUDENTS Visibility of the Study Guidance Student tutoring / buddy projects 11-7-2017 42
STRESS-REDUCING STRATEGIES INSTITUTION Re-evaluating Course load Communication Study material Accessibility of teachers Social meetings Student associations Student representors 11-7-2017 43
Limitations and further researh
LIMITATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT ON FURTHER RESEARH Paper-and-pencil questionnaire Did we reach the students we needed to reach? Questionnaire is a work in progress New variabels: coping, Length Online questionnaire Not all programs were included 11-7-2017 45
FURTHER RESEARCH ACADEMIC YEAR 2017-2018 Results will be immediately implemented The start of a longitudinal study, combined with a cross-sectional study A qualitative study 11-7-2017 46
STRESSED IS DESSERTS SPELLED BACKWARDS 11-7-2017 47
Any questions? 11-7-2017 48
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING HAVE A NICE DAY!
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