Abstract
The sources of stress (academics, financial, family, social, and daily hassles) and coping strategies (self-help, approach, accommodation, avoidance, and self-punishment) of 166 college students were examined. The relationship between sex, specific sources of stress, and coping strategies was also investigated. Students completed a stress assessment inventory and a stress coping inventory based on a 5-factor revised COPE model (Zuckerman and Gagne Journal of Research in Personality, 37:169–204, 2003). Results found that college women reported a higher overall level of stress and greater use of emotion-focused coping strategies than college men. College men and women also reported different coping strategies for different stressors; however the use of emotion-focused coping strategies dominated over problem-solving strategies for both men and women. These results have implications for designing stress reduction workshops that build on the existing adaptive emotion-focused strategies of college students.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abouserie, R. (1994). Sources and levels of stress in relation to locus of control and self-esteem in university students. Educational Psychology, 14(3), 323–330.
Arnett, J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480.
Bailey, R. C., & Miller, C. (1998). Life satisfaction and life demands in college students. Social Behavior and Personality, 26, 51–56.
Blanchard-Fields, F., Sulsky, L., & Robinson-Whelen, S. (1991). Moderating effects of age and context on the relationship between gender, sex role differences, and coping. Sex Roles, 25(11–12), 645–660.
Blankstein, K. R., Flett, G. L., & Koledin, S. (1991). The brief college student hassles scale: Development, validation, and relation with pessimism. Journal of College Student Development, 32(3), 258–264.
Burleson, B. R., & Goldsmith, D. J. (1998). How the comforting process works: Alleviating emotional distress through conversationally induced reappraisals. In P. A. Anderson, & L. Guerrero (Eds.), Handbook of communication and emotion (pp. 246–281). San Diego: Academic Press.
Carver, C. S., Scheier, M. F., & Weintraub, J. K. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2), 267–283.
Chang, E. C. (2001). Life stress and depressed mood among adolescents: Examining a cognitive-affective mediation model. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 20(3), 416–429.
Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (pp. 53–55). Hillsdale: Lawrence.
Crespi, T. D., & Becker, J. T. (1999). Mental health interventions for college students: Facing the family treatment crisis. Family Therapy, 26(3), 141–147.
Davies, J., McCrae, B. P., Frank, J., Dochnahl, A., Pickering, T., Harrison, B., et al. (2000). Identifying male college students’ perceived health needs, barriers to seek help, and recommendations to help men adopt healthier lifestyles. Journal of American College Health, 48, 259–267.
Dunkley, D. M., Blankstein, K. R., Halsall, J., Williams, M., & Winkworth, G. (2000). The relation between perfectionism and distress: Hassles, coping, and perceived social support as mediators and moderators. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(4), 437–453.
Dusselier, L., Dunn, B., Wang, Y., Shelley II, M. C., & Whalen, D. F. (2005). Personal, health, academic, and environmental predictors of stress for residence hall students. Journal of American College Health, 54(1), 15–24.
Dwyer, A., & Cummings, A. L. (2001). Stress, self-efficacy, social support, and coping strategies in university students. Canadian Journal of Counseling, 35(3), 208–220.
Dyson, R., & Renk, K. (2006). Freshmen adaptation to university life: Depressive symptoms, stress, and coping. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(10), 1231–1244.
Eaton, R. J., & Bradley, G. (2008). The role of gender and negative affectivity in stressor appraisal and coping selection. International Journal of Stress Management, 15(1), 94–115.
Edwards, K. J., Hershberger, P. J., Russell, R. K., & Markert, R. J. (2001). Stress, negative social exchange, and health symptoms in university students. Journal of American College Health, 50(2), 75–79.
Frazier, P. A., & Schauben, L. J. (1994). Stressful life events and psychological adjustment among female college students. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 27(1), 280–292.
Friedlander, L. J., Reid, G. J., Shupak, N., & Cribbie, R. (2007). Social support, self-esteem, and stress as predictors of adjustment to university among first-year undergraduates. Journal of College Student Development, 48(3), 259–274.
Higher Education Research Institute (2006). College freshman—summary characteristics 1970 to 2006 (Table 278). Los Angeles: University of California.
Hudd, S., Dumlao, J., Erdmann-Sager, D., Murray, D., Phan, E., Soukas, N., et al. (2000). Stress at college: Effects on health habits, health status and self-esteem. College Student Journal, 34(2), 217–227.
Insel, P. M., & Roth, W. T. (1985). Core concepts in health (4th ed.). Palo Alto: Mayfield.
Jo Lohman, B., & Jarvis, P. A. (2000). Adolescent stressors, coping strategies, and psychological health studied in the family context. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(1), 15–43.
Kenny, M. E., & Rice, K. G. (1995). Attachment to parents and adjustment in late adolescent college students: Current status, applications, and future considerations. Counseling Psychologist, 23(3), 433–456.
Kieffer, K. M., Cronin, C., & Gawet, D. L. (2006). Test and study worry and emotionality in the prediction of college students’ reasons for drinking: An exploratory investigation. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education, 50(1), 57–81.
Larson, E. A. (2006). Stress in the lives of college women: ‘Lots to do and not much time.’ Journal of Adolescent Research, 21(6), 579–606.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.
Lopez, F. G., & Brennan, K. A. (2000). Dynamic processes underlying adult attachment organization: Toward an attachment theoretical perspective on the healthy and effective self. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(3), 283–300.
Lumley, M. A., & Provenzano, K. M. (2003). Stress management through written emotional disclosure improves academic performance among college students with physical symptoms. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(3), 641–649.
Mansfield, A. K., Addis, M. E., & Courtenay, W. (2005). Measurement of men’s help seeking: Development and evaluation of the Barriers to Help Seeking Scale. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 6(2), 95–108.
Misra, R., McKean, M., West, S., & Russo, T. (2000). Academic stress of college students: Comparison of student and faculty perceptions. College Student Journal, 34(2), 236–245.
Pierceall, E. A., & Keim, M. C. (2007). Stress and coping strategies among community college students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 31(9), 703–712.
Pritchard, M. E., & Wilson, G. (2006). Do coping styles change during the first semester of college? Journal of Social Psychology, 146(1), 125–127.
Pritchard, M. E., Wilson, G. S., & Yamnitz, B. (2007). What predicts adjustment among college students?: A longitudinal panel study. Journal of American College Health, 56(1), 15–21.
Printz, B. L., Shermis, M. D., & Webb, P. M. (1999). Stress-buffering factors related to adolescent coping: A path analysis. Adolescence, 34(136), 715–734.
Ptacek, J. T., Smith, R. E., & Dodge, K. L. (1994). Gender differences in coping with stress: When stressor and appraisals do not differ. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 20(4), 421–430.
Roisman, G. I., Masten, A. S., Coatsworth, J. D., & Tellegran, A. (2004). Salient and emerging developmental tasks in the transition to adulthood. Child Development, 75, 123–133.
Romano, J. L. (1992). Psychoeducational interventions for stress management and well-being. Journal of Counseling and Development, 71, 199–202.
Ross, S. E., Neibling, B. C., & Heckert, T. M. (1999). Sources of stress among college students. College Student Journal, 33(22), 312–317.
Sarason, I., Johnson, J., & Siegel, J. (1978). Assessing the impact of life changes: Development of the Life Experiences Survey. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(5), 932–946.
Sasaki, M., & Yamasaki, K. (2007). Stress coping and the adjustment process among university freshmen. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 20(1), 51–67.
Sax, L. J. (1997). Health trends among college freshmen. Journal of American College Health, 45, 252–262.
Sax, L. J. (2003). Our incoming students: What are they like? About Campus, 8(3), 15–20.
Salmela-Aro, K., Aunola, K., & Nurmi, J. (2007). Personal goals during emerging adulthood: A 10-Year follow up. Journal of Adolescent Research, 22(6), 690–715.
Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Bridges, M. W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(6), 1063–1078.
Skowron, E. A., Wester, S. R., & Azen, R. (2004). Differentiation of self mediates college stress and adjustment. Journal of Counseling & Development, 82(1), 69–78.
Soderstrom, M., Dolbier, C., Leiferman, J., & Steinhardt, M. (2000). The relationship of hardiness, coping strategies, and perceived stress to symptoms of illness. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23(3), 311–328.
Stanton, A. L., Kirk, S. B., Cameron, C. L., & Danoff-Burg, S. (2000). Coping through emotional approach: Scale construction and validation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(6), 1150–1169.
Struthers, C. W., Perry, R. P., & Menec, V. H. (2000). An examination of the relationship among academic stress, coping, motivation and performance in college. Research in Higher Education, 41(5), 581–592.
Towbes, L. C., & Cohen, L. H. (1996). Chronic stress in the lives of college students: Scale development and prospective prediction of distress. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 25, 199–217.
US National Center for Education Statistics (2005). College enrollment by selected characteristic. Washington, D.C.: US National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics Table 272.
Zuckerman, M., & Gagne, M. (2003). The COPE revised: Proposing a 5-factor model of coping strategies. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 169–204.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brougham, R.R., Zail, C.M., Mendoza, C.M. et al. Stress, Sex Differences, and Coping Strategies Among College Students. Curr Psychol 28, 85–97 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-009-9047-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-009-9047-0