Stress levels in university/college female students at the start of the academic year

Objectives To investigate stress levels among Canadian female university students and determine cutoff scores for low, moderate, and high stress in this population. Participants: Hundred female undergraduates, mean age of 20.3 (SD = 1.8) years. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed and students were approached in hallways at the start of the 2018 academic year and asked to complete a Student-life Stress Inventory (SSI). Results: Mean stress score was 138.2 (SD = 28.9) out of 255; 53% reported high exposure to stress with 80% reporting low behavioral response to stress. Conclusion: Self-report exposure to stress was high in many at the semester start but manageable and stress scores were similar to other campuses that administered the SSI. A study design that uses qualitative data to enhance the survey findings while longitudinal tracking over the academic year may better inform the extent of student stress exposure and how students effectively cope with this exposure.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate stress levels among Canadian female university students and determine cutoff scores for low, moderate, and high stress in this population. The results showed that at the start of the 2018 academic year, students reported high exposure to stress but had low behavioral response to stress. It is suggested that future research should use qualitative data and longitudinally track students' stress exposure and coping mechanisms throughout the academic year to gain a better understanding of this issue.