Stress-coping behaviors among college students

Stress and anxiety experienced by college students can have potentially negative effects on not only their academic performance, but also their health and quality of life. These effects may be compounded by the negative coping mechanisms some students may use in attempting to deal with their stress. To examine these stress-coping mechanisms, a convenience sample of 842 undergraduate students at a Southeastern university were surveyed for self-reported levels of stress/anxiety, and positive vs. negative behaviors they pursued to cope with their stress. The results showed that students with high levels of stress were more likely to practice negative coping behaviors, including drinking alcohol, using tobacco, taking recreational drugs, eating high-fat “comfort” foods, or spending excessive time on the Internet, and were less likely to pursue positive coping behaviors such as trying to get adequate sleep, exercising regularly, seeking support from family or others, involvement in social or religious activities, meditating/praying, practicing time management, or avoiding situations or people that cause them stress. Students who pursued negative behaviors reported a higher frequency of having trouble coping with their stress compared to those practicing positive coping. Female students were more likely than males to have higher levels of stress, and to have trouble coping. The findings from this study provide important information for developing tailored campus-based programs to support positive coping behaviors and skills among the college student population, with the goal of reducing their health risks, improving their productivity inside and outside of the classroom, and enhancing their quality of life.