Understanding Stress and Coping Strategies among Students of Government Colleges of Bhakkar District

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the stress levels in the lives of college students and their coping styles regarding their stress management. Furthermore, the study examined the gender differences in perspective of stress and coping styles among college students of the Bhakkar District. A sample of n=760 based on the ratio of each college was selected and participated in the study. However, after eliminating invalid and spoilt questionnaires, the researchers entrained 670 questionnaires for analysis. The results of the t-test indicated that the mean score of student athletes and non-athletic students pertaining to stress is not statistically different (p=.21 > .05). In contrast, the analyzed data indicated that the female college students reported higher levels of stress than male college students (p=.003< 0.05). That the college students' athletes reported more overall positive coping strategies than their non-athlete counterparts (P=.002 < .05). The analyzed data have shown that non-athletes reported using emotional and social support for stress management more often than their counterparts' athletes (.004 & .003 < .05). Statistical inferences have shown that females reported using three strategies as positive coping styles for stress, like instrumental social support, emotional support, and religious coping. The male section of the population has reported using it more often than females. The study results have shown a negative relationship between levels of stress and coping mechanisms of perceived stress among students ((P > .135). The study's findings will help contribute to the existing body of literature on stress and coping styles among college students in general, particularly from the perspective of their gender differences.