SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Applied Psychology and Research
Methods & Ethics
Qualitative Lab Report
MODULE: PSY2005
STUDENT NUMBER:
Method of analysis: Narrative Analysis
,Total word count, excluding references, appendices and quotes (2,500 words
+/-10%): 3,099
Title: Stress related to university: a look into students sense of self in a North
London University
Abstract (word count): 94
The research is intended to understand how students construct their sense of self through
narratives of university stress by analyzing students stories associated with academic stress
in university setting. Purposive sampling was used to gather 11 participants who went
through semi-structured interviews, however only 6 went through narrative analysis. The
findings suggest that students find themselves with multiple coursework to complete and
additionally the number of responsibilities outside of university could lead to higher stress
levels. Additionally, not all students have a strong support system to rely on, resulting in
more struggles and stress.
Key words: stress; university; students; mental health
Introduction (word count): 640
Starting university can be an exciting and challenging time in one's life. It might represent a
period of learning and progress, but it can also be one of worry and stress. Especially
for students who are away from home, are unfamiliar with the campus, and have to adapt
to new academic and social expectations. Universities are also faced with the problem of
implementing preventative strategies that address student stress and lessen associated
anxiety and depression due to a relatively small proportion of students obtaining treatment
from university health services. As a result various studies look into this specific topic and
into how stress related to university impacts students
According to the study conducted by Ramachandiran and Dhanapal (2018), it suggests that
“88% of the respondents confirmed that studies are the main cause of their stress, while
78% admitted facing a moderate stress level” (p. 2115). This further confirms that university
students are prone to stress as a result of the many differences in the educational system
, that could be caused by the transition from college or sixth form to university environment.
(Thawabieh and Qaisy, 2012 as cited in Ramachandiran and Dhanapal, 2018, p.2116) It is
important to consider that academic stress could affect various other factors such as mental
health, sleep, and grades. The study conducted by Pascoe, Hetrick and Parker (2019),
implies that continuous stress has the potential to contribute to the appearance of more
serious psychological disorders like anxiety and depression, which can further negatively
impact academic performance due to problems with attention and completing assignments.
In addition, many learners commonly sleep insufficiently, which affects their ability to pay
attention in class, lowers their grades, and increases their stress levels in the long term.
Due to the differences in personality and traits which impact how an individual responds to
stressors, each person has a unique trigger, which causes their response to those events to
vary. Therefore, it is important to take into consideration research that looks into the
reactions since it can help compare with other studies and in determining the relevance of
the stresses and if one has the coping mechanisms to deal with them (Gadzella, 1994, p.
396). Additionally, as stated by Gadzella (1994), the overall results indicate that women
experienced higher stress and stress-related responses than did males, possibly as a result
of balancing various responsibilities such as caring for someone, working, and attending
classes. On the contrary, men looked less concerned with the causes of their stresses and
the methods they employed to deal with them. The research results could make it easier for
students to comprehend their feelings and could make it easier for university counsellors
and support teams to understand why certain groups of students exhibit high levels of
stress. (Gadzella, 1994) Another study that confirms the results of the previous research is
the one conducted by Jonsson et al., (2010) as cited by Pascoe, Herick and Patrick (2019),
which suggests that males in particular are less likely than females to pursue higher
education. Therefore, it is essential to keep in mind that students' sense of self can play a
significant role in how much stress they experience and their coping mechanisms. Students
who are particularly self-aware and who are clear about their views and ambitions might be
better equipped to handle stress and preserve their well-being. Additionally, as suggested in
the starting paragraph, to be able to obtain treatment from university health services it is
essential to identify factors that contribute to stress and resilience in students, research can
help to develop evidence-based interventions that can be implemented on a large scale to
