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...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| 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 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | 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. |
|---|