Academic Stress in relation to Personality, Locale and Gender

Abstract

School education is very important part in an individual’s life and is also a turning point in their academic life. Stress is a common factor among school students. Academic stress involves mental distress regarding anticipated academic challenges or failure or even the fear of the possibility of academic failure. A student’s life is subjected to different kinds of stressors such as the pressure of academics with a requirement of success, uncertain future and difficulties predict for integration into the system. In the present scenario academic stress is major factor that influence the students’ performance as well as their personality. The study investigated academic stress in relation to personality, locale and gender among higher secondary school students. A total of four hundred male and female students participated in this study from Baster district of Chhattisgarh. The sample was selected by using stratified random sampling technique. To assess the personality of the subjects, Eysenck’s Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) and Academic Stress Scale for Students was used. Obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, and regression analysis. The results show significant difference between academic stress and gender, academic stress and locale, personality and locale of students. No gender difference was found between the personality of male and female students. Results also indicated that boys experienced more academic stress as compared to girls. Similarly, non-tribal students experienced higher level of academic stress as compared to tribal students. The result of regression analysis showed that personality emerged out as a significant predictor of students’ academic stress explaining about 30.5% variation.