Assessment and Analysis of Factors Impacting Stress in Students in Higher Educational Institutes in Delhi-NCR

Abstract

Well-being is essential to lead a fulfilling and enjoyable life. Today's fast-paced world causes stress and strain, affecting physical and mental health. The study focuses on stress among students who are anxious owing to competition and performance-oriented objectives. The study describes academic stress, deliberates its causes, and discusses its impacts and manifestations. Factors affecting the perception of stress for a sample of 633 college students in Delhi-NCR are examined. Learner assessment of stress perception is measured using twenty-five items with responses collected on a 5-point Likert Scale. Additionally, the perceived impact of stress on the health and productivity of learners is also examined using six items. The ordered logistic regression model is employed to empirically examine the impact of demographic factors, home and college environments, as well as anxiety about the future on perceived stress amongst the respondents. More than 65 percent of respondents reported facing medium or high levels of stress perception. The study finds no difference in the average stress perception based on gender, but academic pressure, family income and teachers, peer and parental pressure emerge as stress-contributing factors. Examination, curriculum, and time pressures appear to be the most significant factors affecting stress perception. An increase in perception regarding examination, curriculum and time pressures significantly increases the ordered log-odds of moving to the higher stress perception category by 1.19 units. The study makes a compelling case for shifting the focus of education from purely academic to students' holistic development. Given the increase in stress perception, coping strategies for stress management are desperately needed. Recreational activities and the provision of appropriate counselling services by higher education institutions are imperative in this respect. Additionally, parents, teachers, and policymakers working together may do a lot to help youngsters manage their stress.