The Causes And Solutions For Academic Stress Psychology Essay

The Causes And Solutions For pedantic vehemence Psychology EssayThe impart research is aimed to explore the perk ups and dissolvents for pedantic focussing account by M.Phil and Ph.D students of Punjab University, Lahore. Survey research design was utilize to witness the finds of schoolman focusing. Non- probability purposive sampling technique was used to attract the sample of 55 M.Phil and Ph.D students (male students=20, female person students=35) of University of the Punjab, Lahore. Indigenous questionnaire was used. SPSS (version 16.0) was used to take c ar the descriptive statistics of sample and independent sample t-test was use to comp ar the schoolman tune train describe by M.Phil and Ph.D students of University of the Punjab, Lahore. heads indicate that there is no divergency in gender and M.Phil and Ph.D students on the take aim of pedantic striving.Chapter I institutionThe present research is aimed to explore the rationalitys and solutions for aca demic adjudicate report by M.Phil and Ph.D students of Punjab University, Lahore. direction is one of the most crucial of all argonas of human collar (Hancock and Szalma, 2008). The inability to cope with demands placed on a person is referred as variant (Seaward, 2007). According to Blerkom (2009), attending college kitty be try onful for numerous students be spring they argon forced to deal with so galore(postnominal) new responsibilities, opportunities, challenges, and decisions. This test explored what students themselves said ab show up the niduss executes relate to their university.In academic, social, and employment settings, hear is practically describe by individuals. The most recognized definition of stress was conceived by Hans Selye over 70 years ago, who stated that stress is the non- specific solution of the body to every demand for sort (Durstine, 2009).Academic stress waterfall in the category of performance stresses in which people report universe pressured to have high productivity and to meet time demands (McGraw, 2008). The students face different kinds of stressors in their life, such(prenominal) as the pressure of academics with a responsibility of success, dubious future, and difficulties envisaged for integration into the system (Gil distributively and Amr, 2010). thither ar different kinds of academic stressors token to students such as academic, financial, time, health related and self-imposed types of stressors. Academic stress among students have long been researched on, and researchers have identified stressors as too many assignments, competition with opposite students, failures, wishing of pocket money (Fairbr early(a) and Warn, 2003), poor relationships with other students or razzrs, family or problems at home. Institutional (university) level stressors are overcrowded lecture halls, (Ongori, 2007 Awino and Agolla, 2008), semester system, and insufficient resources to perform academic choke. Other caus es of academic stress brook be summation of the yield of exams, projects or papers due for students during a specified period of time (Weidner, Kohlmann, Dotzauer, Burns, 1996). Academic stress is viewed as a chronic stress because of the nature of academic demands (Hulstein, 2009) and it varies from individual to Individual (Sulaiman and Akinsanya, 2011). In 2010, Shah, Hasan, Malik and Sreeramareddy conducted a research on lowgraduates in a Pakistani medical checkup school. The objectives of their study were to assess perceive stress, sources of stress and their severity and to assess the determinants of unhappy cases. A cross-sectional survey was carried reveal among undergraduate medical students of CMH Lahore medical exam College, Pakistan during January to March 2009. The survey was based on questionnaire. Perceived stress home of measurement was used to assess the perceived stress. To assess sources of stress and their severity a questionnaire consisted of 33- brea ker point was used. Students describe a higher level of perceived stress and by and large were related to academic and psychosocial domains. This research supports that academic issues are similarly a study source of stress for students. more college students experience stress as they are concerned about their academic performance. Ross, Niebling and Hecker (1999) conducted a research to determine the major sources of stress among college students. They used Student Stress Survey (SSS). The subdue consisted of 40 potentially nerve-wracking situations. The scale comprised of interpersonal, intrapersonal, academic, and environmental sources of stress. The items in the scale were classified as effortless hassles and major life events. Participants were 100 students at a mid-sized, Midwestern university and varied in year in school, age, gender, and major. Overall, daily hassles were report more often than major life events, with intrapersonal sources of stress organism the most f requently report source. The top five sources of stress were change in sleeping habits, vacations/breaks, and change in eating habits, increased work load, and new responsibilities. The conclusions from this study may be further used to ensure which sources of stress cause the highest levels of stress among college students, and may be helpful in creating stress management programs.Students experience stress when they realize that their courses are more more demanding and fast paced than were their high school classes. Lifestyle changes are a nonher(prenominal) common source of stress for college students. Balancing work, home, and school responsibilities puts additional stress on students (Blerkom, 2009). It is non uncommon to see teaching personnel in institutions of learning develop strange attitude and cold feet to work which summits to academic stress. Most often, classes are skipped and when they are non skipped, they are abrupt. Evaluations ( two formative and summative ) are handled carelessly. Teachers role as models, guide or counselors, are no hourlong the usual parlance. When all these happen, the teacher, the students, and infect, all educational resources suffer (Sulaiman and Akinsanya, 2011).In 2010, Conner, pontiff and Galloway did a study to explore what students themselves said about the causes of their school-related stress and thence(prenominal) looked at shipway to reduce it. They gathered entropy from 2006 to 2008, from 3,645 students, attending cardinal high performing high schools in the California Bay Area. legion(predicate) students reported feeling stressed out, overworked, and sleep deprived. More than 70 per centum of students reported that they often or constantly feel stressed by their school work, and 56 percent reported often or always worrying about such things as grades, tests, and college acceptance. The schools that introduced in this study coupled a research-based intervention program. This program guided sc hool teams of multiple stakeholders as they design and implement site-based policies and practices that reduce student stress and bear on greater student engagement, academic integrity, health, and well-being.Academic stress can have both positive and damaging consequences if it is not well managed (Agolla Ongori, 2009). Fisher (1994) provides an overview of the effects of stress on performance, daily efficiency and health, and reports the topics of research into stress in academic environments (for both staff and students). She explores the origins and nature of academic stress, personal vulnerabilities and header mechanisms and proposes ways in which individuals can be helped. She emphasizes how working settings and practices essentialiness(prenominal) be changed in order to reduce stress in academic life.When students perceive lush or negative stress they experience physical and psychological reactions to stressors (Misra Castillo, 2004). profligate amount of stress t hat is experienced by university students can have negative academic, emotional, or health outcomes (Marshall, Allison, Nykamp, and Lanke, 2008). Students psychological and physical well-being can be to a fault affected by college classroom challenges and it is another negative rival of academic stress (Hall, Chipperfield, Perry, Ruthig, and Goetz, 2006). Academic stress can also bear to depression and physical illness (MacGeorge, Samter, Gillihan, 2005).It is important to the society that students should learn and uprise the necessary knowledge and skills that will in turn make them result positively to the development of the general economy of any nation (Agolla Ongori, 2009).ObjectivesThe aspire of the present research is to know the causes of academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of different divisions of University of the Punjab, Lahore. Solutions for the reported causes are also find out in this research. It will make the University administrator to know how to monitor and control the stress factors that are responsible for the students stress.Research QuestionsWhat are the causes reported by students that lead to academic stress?What are the solutions for the causes of academic stress?Is there any leaving in the level of academic stress of M.Phil and Ph.D students?Is there any gender difference in the level of academic stress?Chapter IIMethodologyResearch designSurvey research design was used to examine the causes of academic stress reported by the M.Phil and Ph.D students of University of the Punjab, Lahore. try out and consume StrategyNon- probability purposive sampling technique was used to engage the sample because the choice of the sample was contingent upon the availability and consent of the participants. savour was drawn on the bases of following inclusion criteria.Day scholars currently enrolled in the M.Phil program.Day scholars currently enrolled in the Ph.D program.Male and female students currently enrolled in M.P hil or Ph.D program.Hostelites are not included due to rule out confounding. judge consists of 55 M.Phil and Ph.D students (male students=20, female students=35) of University of the Punjab, Lahore. Sample was drawn from different departments of University of the Punjab, Lahore such as center for high energy physics, department of statistics, department of physics, department of economics, institute of chemistry, and department of botany because it is the purpose of the research to find out the academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of University of the Punjab, Lahore.Demographic characteristics of the sample are accustomed in dishearten 1.Table 1Demographic Characteristics of the Sample (N= 55)CharacteristicsMale students(n=20)Female students(n=35)Age in Years21 243 (15.00)25 (71.40)25 2810 (50.00)10 (28.60)29 327 (35.00)0 (0.00)ProgrammeM.Phil12 (60.00)25 (71.43)Ph.D8 (40.00)10 (28.57)Job StatusYes10 (50.00)5 (14.30)No10 (50.00)30 (85.70)Marital statusMarried5 (25.00)2 (5.70) unwed15 (75.00)33 (94.30)InstrumentsAcademic stress questionnaire was developed by the researchers in order to determine the causes of academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of University of Punjab, Lahore. first off part of the questionnaire pertained the demographic information (name, gender, age, programme, job status and marital status) of the participants. In second part section I was consisted of 21 statements of causes of academic stress. each(prenominal) statement has four possible options as always (1), often (2), well-nightimes (3), and never (4). The participant was asked to encircle any one of the four options which was hold for them. The II section was consisted of 13 statements of causes of academic stress and the participants were asked to encircle those statements which are mostly faced by them. The Cronbachs Alpha reliability of scale I is .82 and of scale II is .504.ProcedureTo formally initiate the study an berth letter explainin g nature of study was taken from the department of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore and then signed by the supervisor to collect the data. Consent form was active and finalized to obtain participants willingness to participate in the research. The data was collected from the different departments of Punjab University. control letter explaining nature and purpose of the study was provided to the chairpersons/ top dogs/principals of the Departments of the University if the Punjab, Lahore. The heads of the departments allowed researchers to collect data and some of them referred the researchers to the coordinator for further help, who settled time with researchers for data collecting. On the fix day the coordinator took the researchers in the class where the students were available. The subjects were approached and were briefed about the purpose of the research. After their consent and willingness to participate in the research, questionnaires were move onn to f ill up. The questionnaires were end in the researchers presence. some(prenominal) departments come the classes for data collection and were very cooperative. But some department allows compendium the data after classes timing. get of Biochemistry did not allow to collect the data from their students.StatisticsSPSS (version 16.0) was used to determine the descriptive statistics of sample and independent sample t-test was applied to compare the academic stress level reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of University of the Punjab, Lahore. soft analysis was used to find out the solutions given by the students.Chapter one-thirdResultsThe present research is aimed to explore the causes and solutions for academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of Punjab University, Lahore. Non- probability purposive sampling technique was used to draw the sample. Sample consists of 55 M.Phil and Ph.D students (male students=20, female students=35) of University of the Punjab, Lahore. I ndigenous questionnaire was used and following results are obtained.Table 2Causes of academic stress reported by students (n=55)Causes of Academic StressOften + Sometimes + Always (% )Never (%)SolutionsTeachers sell too frequently of the course content in their lecture which causes difficulty in preoccupancy of the knowledge.83.60%16.40%20Teachers teaching method is difficult to comprehend.69.10%30.90%23Too many assignments are given by teachers in a deposited time.67.30%32.70%20Some teachers give assignments which are beyond the course content.54.60%45.40%14Some teachers give assignments which are beyond the course content.78.20%21.80%32The students do not have any choice for the number of credit hours per semester.85.50%14.50%25Difficulties in gathering data for research project.41.80%58.20%13Un mean workshops with credit hours between 2-6 hours which enhance work loads for the students.80.00%20%27Students shyness towards request questions.65.45%34.55%14Difficulty in completin g group assignments due to the lack of pre plan distribution of workload among the group members.80.00%20%19 inhering biasness in allocation of grades.61.82%32.73%20Little training for cater brain presentation.67.27%32.73%20Insufficient facility for power point presentation with multimedia.83.64%16.36%23Class rooms are not well equipped to promote optimal learning.72.73%27.27%23Class rooms furniture is not contributory for lengthy classes.83.64%16.36%22Lack of alternative arrangements in case of explosive power breaks up.100%0%19Poor access to internet.87.27%12.73%25Lack of printing facility in computer room.80.00%20%26Lack of facility for photo copying in the library.80.00%20%25There is no latest reading material in the library.87.00%13%24Study is often affected by class couple chatting.67.30%32.70%17Table 3Difference in the direct of Academic Stress account by M.Phil and Ph.D Students of Punjab University, Lahore.M.Phil Students(n=37)Ph.D Students(n=18)95% CLVariableMSDMSDt (53)pLLULCohens dReported Academic Stress58.057.1661.5611.44-1.39.17-8.551.55-0.31Note. Cl = confidence interval LL = lower limit UL = upper limit.Table 3 represents the results of difference in the level of academic stress reported by M.Phil (M=58.05, SD=7.16) and Ph.D (M=61.56, SD=11.44) students of Punjab University, Lahore. The results t(53)=.17,pTable 4Difference in gender on level of academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of Punjab University, Lahore.Male Students(n=20)Female Students(n=35)95% CLVariableMSDMSDt(37.54)PLLULCohens dReported Academic Stress59.159.3859.238.70.031.91-5.085.24.23Note. Cl = confidence interval LL = lower limit UL = upper limit.Table 4 represents the represents the results of gender difference in the level of academic stress reported by male (M=59.15, SD=9.38) and Ph.D (M=59.23, SD=8.70) students of Punjab University, Lahore. The results t(37.54)=.91,pQualitative depth psychology of Solutions given by Students dot 1 come in of 55 student s, 46 (i.e. 83.6%) reported item 1 as a cause of academic stress. 20 students gave the solution to catch up with this cause. The underlying solutions areCourse should be according to the credit hours and cover properly.Teachers have to focus on the takings so that main concepts of students can be clear and not to cover the course.Teachers should cover the course that can be bearable for students in the circumscribed semester time and easy to prepare.Increase the number of working days.Increase the number of working days so that course can be completed with in time, inside schedule classes. relic 2 issue of 55 students, 38 (i.e. 69.1%) reported item 2 as a cause of academic stress. 23 students gave the solution to quash this cause. The sanctioned solutions areTeachers should present the material with diagrams.Teachers should be explanatory.There should b teacher training sessions. concrete aspects of topic should be high lighted.Modern and latest methodology must be used. souve nir 3Out of 55 students, 37 (i.e. 67.3%) reported item 3 as a cause of academic stress. 20 students gave the solution to keep down this cause. The basal solutions areAssignments should be limited.Topics should be allocated early. pore should be on measure not on quality. item 4Out of 55 students, 30 (i.e. 54.6%) reported item 4 as a cause of academic stress. 14 students gave the solution to get the hang this cause. The basic solutions areAssignments should be about course.Assignments should be relevant to contents.Main points should be explained.Item 5Out of 55 students, 43 (i.e. 78.2%) reported item 5 as a cause of academic stress. 32 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areChoice should be given not only for credit hours but also for subjects.Participants of students should made compulsory in policy making process.Item 6Out of 55 students, 467(i.e. 85.5%) reported item 6 as a cause of academic stress. 25 students gave the solution to overcome t his cause. The basic solutions areResearch should be given in time.Research supervisor must be helpful and give proper guide line.Government should provided official data websites.Facilities for data collection should be provided.Item 7Out of 55 students, 23 (i.e. 41.8%) reported item 7 as a cause of academic stress. 13 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areWorkshops should held but for 1-2 hours maximum.Workshops should be in week days not in off days.Workshops should be planned according to the subject.No such work shops should be planned.Number and quantity of work shops should be pre planned.Item 8Out of 55 students, 44 (i.e. 80%) reported item 8 as a cause of academic stress. 27 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areTeachers should be lenient.There should be student teacher understanding.Teachers should be more encouraging towards the students.Teachers should be friendly.Teachers behavior should be motivat ing.Item 9Out of 55 students, 36 (i.e. 65.45%) reported item 9 as a cause of academic stress. 14 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions aretag should allotted for effort of group and there should a leader in the group.The assignment should be given individually rather than in group.The other solutions are group member should be cooperative andThere should be plan for group work.Item 10Out of 55 students, 44 (i.e. 80%) reported item 10 as a cause of academic stress. 19 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areThere should be no favoritism by the teachers.It should be abolished.There should be external examiner Paper should be shown to the students after the marking.Item 11Out of 55 students, 34 (i.e. 61.82%) reported item 11 as a cause of academic stress. 20 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areThere should be a proper computer classes as a course work.And there should be seminars an d workshop on itItem 12Out of 55 students, 37 (i.e. 67.27%) reported item 12 as a cause of academic stress. 20 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areDepartment should provide facilityMultimedia should be fixed in the classes Administration should take step.Item 13Out of 55 students, 46 (i.e. 83.64%) reported item 13 as a cause of academic stress. 23 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areThe infrastructure should be goodThere is need of over head projector in every classroom.The other solutions are noise due to fans must be reducedMick for teachers also provided,Proper air condition and heater in summer winter respectively should be facilitate.Item 14Out of 55 students, 40 (i.e. 72.73%) reported item 14 as a cause of academic stress. 23 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areThe chairs should be comfortable more chairs should be providedItem 15Out of 55 students, 46 (i.e. 83.64 %) reported item 15 as a cause of academic stress. 22 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areUPS generator should be must provide to each department.Item 16Out of 55 students, 55 (i.e. 100%) reported item 16 as a cause of academic stress. 19 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areIT center must be well established,department lab should be upgrade,WIFI signal should also be provided.Item 17Out of 55 students, 48 (i.e. 87.27%) reported item 17 as a cause of academic stress. 25 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areThe printing facility should be provided in the computer lab.Item 18Out of 55 students, 44 (i.e. 80%) reported item 18 as a cause of academic stress. 26 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions are go off machine should be buy by the department.Item 19Out of 55 students, 44 (i.e. 80%) reported item 19 as a cause of academic stress. 25 stud ents gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areLibrary should be upgrade.Department should increased the budget to buy latest books and journals.Good books must be under assessed by the students.Item 20Out of 55 students, 48 (i.e. 87.2%) reported item 20 as a cause of academic stress. 24 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areLabs should be well equipped.Funds should be increased.Instruments, chemicals should be provided by increasing funds.Sufficient number of computers should be provided in Ph.D lab. infrastructure should be improved.Item 21Out of 55 students, 37 (i.e. 67.3%) reported item 21 as a cause of academic stress. 17 students gave the solution to overcome this cause. The basic solutions areChatting should not be happened.Students should be well mannered and teachers should be little bit strict in this way.There should be fine.Any other cause and solutionResult is mostly late in the department. It should be in time. For M.Phil students there is no time for job. The time table should be in such a way that students can do their jobs.Communication problems associated with students about faculty so there should b regular arranged meetings between advisor and chairman.Libraries must b provided with latest books and research related material.Favoritism is a major problem. Unbiased teachers irrespective of beauty and gender of students must be hired.Institute should be politics free.Proper counseling and guidance for students.Chapter IV countersignThe primary purpose of the present research was to explore the causes and solutions for academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of Punjab University, Lahore. This chapter discusses the major findings of the research with reference to the topic under study. Data was drawn from different departments of Punjab University, Lahore.This research investigated the common causes of academic stress among the students and to what extent students experience d stress. The results indicated that there are a lot of causes of academic stress reported by students. The analysis was done by calculating the percentage of respondents who gave a high rating on the causes of academic stress. The result indicates that students do experience academic stress due to many reasons related to their departments as shown in Table 2. The finding is consistent to earlier studies (Ongori, 2007 Awino and Agolla, 2008 Ross, Niebling and Hecker 1999). Our finding reflects that, most of the students are experiencing stress in their daily academic activities. Amponsah (2010) conducted a study to investigate stress levels, experiences of stress and coping strategies of non-UK students studying at the University of Manchester, UK. The main purpose was to consider their perceived stress levels, their experiences of stress and their coping strategies and to link these to the continents from which they came, their gender and whether they were graduates or undergradua tes. This research consisted of two phases. Survey method, perceived stress scale (PSS), the scrutinize of college students recent life experiences (ICSRLE) and the coping inventory for stressful situations (CISS) were used. Key findings indicated that, time pressure and work demands were the non UK students most stressful experiences. Gender was the most significant predictor of non-UK students stressful experiences, whilst female students show higher levels of distress than their male counterparts. The results indicate that there is no difference in gender on level of academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of Punjab University, Lahore. There is also no difference in the Level of Academic Stress Reported by M.Phil and Ph.D Students of Punjab University, Lahore. The ratio of male and female students and M.Phil and Ph.D students was not equal in sample so the results can not be generalized. Students also gave solutions to these academic stresses. The percentages of th ese solutions are in table 2. Students gave the solutions to academic stress related problems and also reported some others problems and their solutions. Many problems are related to the course content and to the facilities. 100% students reported academic stress due to the lack of alternative arrangements in case of sudden power breaks up. More than 80% students reported course content as a cause of academic stress. More over they reported that politics in academia, gender and subjective biasness and late result declaration also caused academic stress.Limitations and SuggestionsThe sample size was small because M.Phil and Ph.D students enrolled less than the other students. Some departments did not allow to collect data from their students. Ratio of male and female students is also not equivalent because female students are more than the male students in Punjab University, Lahore. Ratio of M.Phil and Ph.D students is also not equivalent because M.Phil students are more than the Ph. D students in Punjab University, Lahore. More over Ph.D students are not easily available in the departments.The sample size should be large so that results can be generalized. The university should take action to sort out the problems of the students. So that their stress can be reduced and they can give more concentration to their studies. mop upThe present research explored the causes and solutions for academic stress reported by M.Phil and Ph.D students of Punjab University, Lahore. Many causes are reported that leads to the academic stress. It has been concluded that there is no differences in M.Phil and Ph.D students in reporting academic stress fur