A Study On The Assessment Of Perceived Stress, Self-Efficacy And Associated Socio-Demographic Factors Among Undergraduates In A Higher Educational Institution In Sri Lanka

Abstract

Abstract: Nearly 80% of students in higher education worldwide experience psychological stress during their university life due to imbalances in social, emotional, and physical conditions. Stress can lead to poor academic performance and underachievement among students. The present study assessed the levels of perceived stress, general self-efficacy and their association with socio-demographic factors among a selected group of undergraduates at a higher educational institute. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed using stratified random sampling among 393 undergraduates. The data were collected through the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and a questionnaire to collect the sociodemographic data. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. The mean age of the sample (n=393) was 22.36±2.33 years. The results showed a mean perceived stress score of 20.72±4.96 (moderate perceived stress). The majority of the participants (79.4%) had moderate perceived stress, followed by high stress (12.7%) and low stress (7.4%). There was no significant difference between the stress levels of male and female students (p=0.766). No significant association was observed between perceived stress and socio-demographic factors assessed (age, gender, residence status, financial status, the program of study, employment prospects) using the chi-squared test. Spearman correlation showed a significant negative association between perceived stress levels and general self-efficacy (p<0.001). Intervention strategies to develop and improve self-efficacy among undergraduates should be implemented as it affects their perceived stress levels and academic achievements which will impact their life goals. Further studies are needed to understand the stressors contributing to stress among undergraduate students.