Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study

The study investigated stress and coping mechanisms amongst female university students in Zimbabwe. Many female students in universities have to handle various stressors caused by personal, academic, social, and sometimes work lives. Students with inadequate stress handling skills can face diff...

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Main Author: Moyo A.
Other Authors: Gender Institute Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
Format: research article
Published: Research and Scientific Innovation Society 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5319
https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-6-issue-6/115-121.pdf
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author Moyo A.
author2 Gender Institute Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
author_facet Gender Institute Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
Moyo A.
author_sort Moyo A.
collection DSpace
description The study investigated stress and coping mechanisms amongst female university students in Zimbabwe. Many female students in universities have to handle various stressors caused by personal, academic, social, and sometimes work lives. Students with inadequate stress handling skills can face difficulties in trying to balance these responsibilities. The study was aimed at assessing stress and stressors amongst the female students, and also the coping strategies that can be used to handle stress. Female university students from the Midlands State University were interviewed as the respondents of this study, and the data received was qualitatively assessed to determine the stressors, stress levels, and coping mechanisms. Overall, the students indicated that the key stressors they experienced were disadvantaged social backgrounds, menstruation and menstrual disorders, sexual harassment, information overload, peer competition, transition from adolescence to adulthood, personal inadequacy, and lecturer- student relationships. It was observed that the students apply four main coping strategies namely venting, instrumental support, emotional support, and self-distraction. The study concluded by recommending that additional studies are warranted to look into reduction of student stress for both genders and developing coping mechanisms.
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spelling ir-11408-53192022-12-20T10:44:53Z Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study Moyo A. Gender Institute Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe Major Stressors Coping Dimensions Zimbabwean University Female Students Stress handling skills The study investigated stress and coping mechanisms amongst female university students in Zimbabwe. Many female students in universities have to handle various stressors caused by personal, academic, social, and sometimes work lives. Students with inadequate stress handling skills can face difficulties in trying to balance these responsibilities. The study was aimed at assessing stress and stressors amongst the female students, and also the coping strategies that can be used to handle stress. Female university students from the Midlands State University were interviewed as the respondents of this study, and the data received was qualitatively assessed to determine the stressors, stress levels, and coping mechanisms. Overall, the students indicated that the key stressors they experienced were disadvantaged social backgrounds, menstruation and menstrual disorders, sexual harassment, information overload, peer competition, transition from adolescence to adulthood, personal inadequacy, and lecturer- student relationships. It was observed that the students apply four main coping strategies namely venting, instrumental support, emotional support, and self-distraction. The study concluded by recommending that additional studies are warranted to look into reduction of student stress for both genders and developing coping mechanisms. 6 6 115 121 2022-12-20T10:44:52Z 2022-12-20T10:44:52Z 2022-06 research article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5319 https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-6-issue-6/115-121.pdf International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science 2454-6186 open Research and Scientific Innovation Society
spellingShingle Major Stressors
Coping Dimensions
Zimbabwean University
Female Students
Stress handling skills
Moyo A.
Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study
title Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study
title_full Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study
title_fullStr Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study
title_full_unstemmed Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study
title_short Exploring Major Stressors and Coping Dimensions of Zimbabwean University Female Students: A Qualitative Study
title_sort exploring major stressors and coping dimensions of zimbabwean university female students: a qualitative study
topic Major Stressors
Coping Dimensions
Zimbabwean University
Female Students
Stress handling skills
url https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5319
https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-6-issue-6/115-121.pdf
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