L'accès à l'Université : une situation stressante à l'origine de certaines stratégies d'ajustement dysfonctionnelles

Abstract

The anxiodepressive symptomatology concerns a quarter of the studying population of sample and the factors cited are stress, solitude, relational problems, and addictions. Depressive students are likely to be more female and students in literary studies than scientific. Anxiolytics are the psychotrops most used by students (31% of students consume during courses, 23% occasionally and 8% regularly). The use of these medicines is significantly more frequent in the case of female students (40 vs 14%). Desbrosse-Baloche (2000) and the utilization of hypnotic, anxiolytic or antedepressor is higher in students of the Humanities and Letters. This disquieting situation has incited us to study some dysfunctional comportments in the light of transactional model of stress and coping. According to this transactional model, Lazarus et Folkman (1984) differentiate between two forms of evaluation that converge to describe the potential stressfull situation and the available resources for coping: a) the primary evaluation or perceived stress designates the manner that the subject identifies the situation and estimates his different characteristics; b) the secondary evaluation designates the stage where the subject estimates his personal and social resources or perceived control; c) the coping strategies. Objective. – Keeping in mind that gaining access to university is a potential stressful situation, we have studied, in light of transactional model of stress of Lazarus and Folkman the rule of cognitive variables (stress perceived, control perceived and stakes) and the adoption of functional coping strategies (problem solving, social support) or dysfunctional coping strategies (consumption of alcohol, medicine or other toxic substances, excessive sleeping, etc.) during the first two months of adaptation to university life. Population. – The subjects were students in the first year of psychology, that have twice completed five questionnaires in October (T1, N =110), then, in December (T2, N =119). Results. – A high or very high degree of stress was experienced by a quarter of the students and the global level of stress increased for 22,5% of students, decreases for 22,5% of them and does not change for 55% of students. The University seems stressful for a large number of students. The positive evaluations of challenge and benefit were significantly higher than the negative evaluations of threat and loss. The former are related to the stakes, which make up university success, whereas the later are linked to a perceived control. The positive evaluations decreased significantly whereas the negative evaluations increased during the two months of adaptation. Coping strategies. – The dysfunctional coping strategies were chosen by a significant number of students (35 to 45% over sleep as a mean of refuge, a quarter of students accept their situation passively, 16 to 17% of students consume alcohol, medicine or other toxic substances, and 13% behave auto or heteroaggressively). The positive evaluations of challenge and benefit seems to instigate functional coping strategies (planning, information's research, self control strategies) whereas the negative evaluations of threat and loss lead to mobilization dysfunctional coping strategies like avoidance or escape (sleep, alcohol) and hetero aggressive confrontation.