How stress affects academic performance of human kinetics and sports science students, University of Benin

Chukwuma Sunday Lator
University of Benin, Faculty of Education, Department of Human Kinetics and Sports Science, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Korespondenční autor: Chukwuma Sunday Lator (chukwuma.lator@uniben.edu)

ISSN 1804-7181 (On-line)

Full verze:

Submitted:27. 10. 2022
Accepted: 5. 1. 2023
Published online: 30. 6. 2023

Summary

This study investigates how stress affects the academic performance of undergraduates at University of Benin. The study population was 350 undergraduates. Data were collected using simple random technique and a sample size of 175 undergraduates was selected for the study

The research instrument was an adapted Academic Stress Scale (ASS) questionnaire. The validity of the instrument was subjected to scrutiny and Cronbach alpha statistics were used to determine the reliability of the instrument (an r-value of 0.79 was obtained). Data were analysed using percentages, Pearson correlation, and means. The results revealed that the majority of undergraduates experienced high stress levels; there was a weak negative relationship between academic performance and stress. Stress is not affecting academic performance significantly; students agreed that they faced stress such as academic, time/balance, intrapersonal/self and relationship/so­cial, but adopted strategies that enabled them cope with stress.

In conclusion, students must set priorities and use their resources to avoid stressful situations. Recommendations were made that stress intervention programs be designed to address stress in university students. Coping strategies that help students to deal with their own thoughts and feelings can be facilitated by accessible professional and peer counselling, student support groups, and adequate course advising.

Keywords: Academic performance; Human kinetics students; Stress; Stressors; Undergraduates

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