CHAPTER 2 RRL..

CHAPTER 2
Review of Related Literature
Below is a discussion of a thematic review of the literature. In addition to Google Scholar, the
Cumulative Index of Nursing and Applied Health Literature (CINAHL) and EBSCOhost
databases were used in the search process. Stress, coping strategies, college students, students'
perceptions of stress, academic stress, and personal stress were among the keywords that were
used. The majority of the studies' peer-reviewed publications were released between 2015 and
2018.
Stress Among College Students:

College students are susceptible to stress and have inadequate coping mechanisms, according to
Jennings, Henderson, Erla, Abraham, and Gillum's (2018). Although stress is an inevitable part
of life, college students are particularly susceptible to certain types of pressures. According to a
recent American College Health Association (ACHA, 2017) survey, 12.5% of college students
said they were under a "tremendous" amount of stress, while 41.5% said they were under an
"above average" level. "Potential stressors on a college campus are changes in social activities,
conflicts with a roommate, new friends, girlfriend or boyfriend, changes in sleep habits, and
financial difficulties," according to Dexter, Huff, Rudecki, and Abraham (2018).
College Students' Coping Mechanisms:

When people experience stress, they usually employ a coping method to lessen and manage it.
Successful coping, according to Coiro, Bettis, and Compas (2017), entails both choosing the
right coping mechanism to deal with the stressor and accurately assessing one's degree of control
over it. It's critical that college students evaluate their stress levels and their capacity to manage it
independently in addition to choosing healthy coping strategies to employ. The availability or
lack of coping strategies among students has an impact on their mental health as well. According
to Coiro et al. (2017), coping strategies "have been established as a crucial mechanism linking
stressful life events and perceived stress to the growth of mental health issues. Students who feel
more stress are more likely to have symptoms of anxiety, sadness, and somatization (Coiro et al.,
2017). Students with high psychological stress scores were more likely to have negative coping
mechanisms for physical inactivity, poor diet, and tobacco use, which included increasing the
intake of convenience foods (Deasy et al., 2015).
Students' Perception of Stress

A person's approach to managing stress is significantly influenced by how they view stress.
Stress management may become more challenging when students don't grasp it. When asked to
reply to questions regarding their views of stress in their lives, students in the Dexter et al.
(2018) study most frequently agreed with the statement "creating better health in one area of my
life spills into other areas of my life". Students also stated that stress had an impact on a number
of areas of their lives and that stress can be reduced by improving one of those areas. A
correlation "between perceived stress and factors that could be considered as 'negative' ones,
such as psychological distress and its four factors...including somatic symptoms, anxiety and
insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression" was also noted by Saleh, Camart, and
Romo (2017). The effects of a risk and resilience (R&R) course on stress, coping mechanisms,
and cognitive style in college students were investigated by Shatkin et al. (2016). 36
undergraduate students and 62 students enrolled in a psychopathology course were compared in
the study. Undergraduates gained knowledge of decision-making, coping mechanisms, and risk-
taking behaviors. According to Shatkin et al. (2016), the R&R students reported improvements in
stress, coping strategies, and dysfunctional attitudes at the end of the course.
Personal Stress
College students may experience intrapersonal as well as interpersonal pressures, according to
Hubbard, Reohr, Tolcher, and Downs (2018). "Personal appearance, self-esteem, body image,
and lack of confidence" are examples of intrapersonal stressors. Relationships with family,
friends, coworkers, and roommates are examples of interpersonal factors, as are health issues or
the loss of a spouse, friend, or family member, as well as encountering discrimination (Hubbard
et al., 2018). Individual sources of stress differ from one another. For many people, college is a
difficult period. Potential sources of personal stress were cited by Coiro et al. (2017) as
"diminished contact with family members, interpersonal stressors with roommates and romantic
partners, and for many students, financial stress". According to Holinka (2015), creating a future
career plan was the most frequent personal stressor mentioned by college students, followed by
money, relationships with others, looks, close relationships, personal accomplishment, and goal-
setting. It might be challenging for students to learn how to manage their personal anxieties in a
new environment. Higher self-reported rates of somatization, anxiety, and depression are linked
to personal stress. Furthermore, according to Cioro et al. (2017), students who report higher
levels of stress also typically employ less main and secondary coping techniques.
Academic Stress
Students must adjust to increased academic demands and the high workload of tests and
homework in addition to the personal stressors they encounter while in college. The increasing
workload associated with the new demands of academics is perhaps the most difficult
adjustment. 47.5% of students, according to the ACHA (2017), said that academic pressures
were "traumatic or very difficult to handle". According to Holinka (2015), "grades and
competition, career and future success, too many demands and meeting deadlines, interpersonal
issues in school, and issues related to taking classes and selecting majors were specifically the
most frequently reported academic stressors". Students at college are particularly vulnerable to
ailments linked to stress because of their age. "The academic period involves the employment of
time and financial resources by the students, without guarantees of a satisfactory return,"
according to Ribeiro et al. (2018). Poor academic performance might result from stress and
anxiety related to the academic environment (Ribeiro et al., 2018).
Introduction
Everyone experiences stress at some point in their lives. As per NIMH (2016), the National
Institute for Mental Health “The body and brain react to any demand through stress”. Stress
arises in various shapes and forms for college students. Stressors that college students must deal
with include increased workloads, financial difficulties, and interpersonal relationships and
performance pressure (Deasy, Coughlan, Pironom, Jourdan, & McNamara, 2015).
There are two types of stress: beneficial and detrimental. As per the 2017 report by the Centers
for Disease Control (CDC), stress can be detrimental if it persists”. Severe stress can leave one
feeling helpless and overwhelmed. This study sought to understand how college students
perceived stress and coped with it.
Definition of Terms
The definition of stress in this study is the bodily reaction that arises in response to a demand or
threat. Stated differently, it represents the body's inbuilt defense system. The ability to handle
problems on one's own, deal with stress or conflict, and manage personal issues are all
considered coping techniques or coping mechanism. Those who are enrolled in a college who are
eighteen years of age or older are referred to as college students. The definition of students'
perception of stress is their ideas and emotions around the physical reaction or response their
bodies go through in the presence of an expectation or threat. The body's reaction to course-
related pressures that are greater than students' capacity for adaptation is known as academic
stress. The term "personal stress" describes the body's reaction to an external environment's
demand or expectation that surpasses an individual's capacity for adaptation.
Stress in this study is the bodily reaction that arises in response to a demand or threat. Stated
differently, it represents the body's inbuilt defense system.
Coping Techniques or Coping Mechanism is the ability to handle problems on one's own, deal
with stress or conflict, and manage personal issues.
College Students are those who are enrolled in a college who are eighteen years of age or older.
Students' Perception of Stress is their ideas and emotions around the physical reaction or
response their bodies go through in the presence of an expectation or threat.
Academic Stress is the body's reaction to course-related pressures that are greater than students'
capacity for adaptation.
Personal Stress describes the body's reaction to an external environment's demand or expectation
that surpasses an individual's capacity for adaptation.

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CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

Stress Among College Students:

College Students' Coping Mechanisms:

Students' Perception of Stress

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