Fyp GC 2023 Alxy

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS
A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT,
SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA
AMANDA LIM XIN YI
A RESEARCH PROJECT
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
BACHELOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE (HONS) GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
APRIL 2023
A study of the relationship between perceived social support, self-efficacy, and academic
stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia.
Amanda Lim Xin Yi
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
This research project is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of
Social Science (Hons) Guidance and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science,
University Tunku Abdul Rahman. It was submitted on APRIL 2023.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This research process would not be a success without the support and assistance from
the public throughout the journey, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my
most profound appreciation and gratitude towards everyone who has contributed to the
completion of this project paper. To each of you, much appreciated. Without your
contribution and efforts, I may not be able to complete this project paper on time.
First and foremost, I appreciate the most my FYP supervisor, Puan Anisah for her
invaluable guidance, constructive feedback, and unwavering support throughout this project.
Her mentorship and expertise have been instrumental in shaping the direction of this research.
Additionally, I would like to extend my appreciation to my parents for their constant
encouragement and support. Also, I would like to express my gratitude to my friends and
seniors, Tan Lei Gee, Crement Ong Wen Yao, and Lim Jo Yee, for their emotional support
and advice throughout my way to completing my final year project.
Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to every respondent who volunteered to
participate in this research. Their willingness to share their experiences and insights has been
invaluable in enriching the findings of this research. Your contribution and effort are highly
appreciated by every one of you who is a part of this research.
AMANDA LIM XIN YI

Approval Form
This research paper attached here, entitled “A study of the relationship between perceived
social support, self-efficacy and academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia”,
prepared and submitted by Amanda Lim Xin Yi in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
the Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) Guidance and Counselling is now accepted.
Supervisor Date :
(Puan Anisah Zainab Musa)

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS I
Abstract
In recent years, academic stress among undergraduate students has gained scholarly attention
in Malaysia. The research aimed to study the relationship between perceived social support,
self-efficacy, and academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia. A quantitative
cross-sectional study through a purposive sampling method was conducted across Malaysia.
The survey questionnaires were distributed through various social media platforms such as
WhatsApp, Instagram, WeChat, Microsoft Teams, and Facebook. The current research
reached out to a sample of respondents from universities across several states in Malaysia,
including Sarawak, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Kedah. A total of 123 responses
were aged between 18 through 26 years old (M = 22, SD = 1.55). There were more female
respondents (n = 67, 54.47%) than male respondents (n = 56, 45.53%). Social Cognitive
Theory was used as the theoretical framework in this study. Additionally, the instruments
applied in this study are the Brief Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (PSS), Academic
Self-efficacy Scale (ASE) and Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS). PPMC was used
to test the hypotheses. The findings reported that academic stress indicated a significant
negative relationship between self-efficacy and perceived social support while self-efficacy
and perceived social support were significantly positively correlated. The results of this study
would provide practical insight for students, parents, educators, and professionals to design
effective interventions to reduce academic stress, and it could be further explored with
different variables.
Keywords : Perceived social support, Self-efficacy, Academic stress, Social cognitive theory,
Undergraduate students
PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS II
Declaration Form
I declare that the material contained in this paper is the result of my work and that
due acknowledgement has been given in the bibliography, and references to ALL sources be
they printed, electronic, or personal.
Name : Amanda Lim Xin Yi
Student ID : 19AAB03195
Signed :
Date : 18th April 2023

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS III
Table of Contents
Abstract I
Declaration Form III
List of Tables VII
List of Figures VIII
List of Abbreviations IX
Chapters
1 Introduction 1
Background of Study 1
Problem Statement 3
Significance of the study 5
Theoretical Significance 5
Practical Significance 6
Research Objectives 7
Research Questions 7
Research Hypotheses 8
Definition of Terms 8
Conceptual Definition of Terms 8
Operational Definition of Terms 9
2 Literature Review 11
Academic Stress 11
Perceived Social Support 12

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS IV
Self-Efficacy 14
Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy 15
Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy 15
Academic Stress and Perceived Social Support 17
Perceived Social Support, Self-Efficacy and Academic Stress 18
Theoretical Framework 19
Conceptual Framework 22
3 Methodology 23
Research Design 23
Research Participants 24
Sampling Procedures 24
Sampling Method 24
Research Location 25
Ethical Clearance Approval 25
Sample Size, Power, and Precision 26
Sample Size Calculation 26
Actual Sample Size 26
Power Analysis 27
Research Data Collection Procedures 27
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria 27
Procedures for Obtaining Consent 28

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS V
Procedures of Data Collection Procedures 29
Pilot Study 29
Actual Study 30
Instruments 31
Data Analysis 33
4 Result 34
Descriptive Statistics 34
Demographic Characteristics 34
Descriptive Statistics of Topic-Specific Characteristics 36
Data Diagnostic and Missing Data 37
Frequency and Percentages Missing Data 37
Methods for Addressing Missing Data 38
Criteria for Post Data-Collection Exclusion of Participants 38
Criteria for Imputation of Missing Data 39
Analyses of Data Distributions 39
Data Analysis 41
Pearson Product-Moment Correlation 41
5 Discussion & Conclusion 44
Discussion 44
Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy 44
Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy 45

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS VI
Academic Stress and Perceived Social Support 46
Implication 47
Theoretical Implication 47
Practical Implications 48
Limitations of Study & Recommendations for Future Research 50
Conclusion 53
References 54
Appendices 76
Appendix A Sample Size Calculation 76
Appendix B JASP 0.16.4 Output for Pearson’s Correlation 80
Appendix C Descriptive Statistics 83
Appendix D Boxplots for Each Distributions with Outliers 85
Appendix E Instruments 87
Appendix F Turnitin Report 90
Appendix G Supervisor Comment on Originality Report 91
Appendix H Ethical Approval 93
Appendix I Marking Rubrics 95
Appendix J Submission Sheet for Thesis 100
Appendix K Action Plan 101
Appendix L Oral Presentation Evaluation Rubric 102

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS VII
List of Tables
Table Page
Table 3.1 Reliability of Instruments in the pilot study (n=30) and actual study (n=123) 30
Table 4.1 Demographic Data of Participants (n=123) 35
Table 4.2 Distribution of Topic-Related Characteristics (n=123) 37
Table 4.3 Result of the Normality Test 40
Table 4.4 Correlations between perceived social support and self-efficacy (n=123) 41
Table 4.5 Correlations between self-efficacy and academic stress (n=123) 42
Table 4.6 Correlations between perceived social support and academic stress (n=123) 43
PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS VIII
List of Figures
Figure Page
Figure 2.1 : Theoretical framework model 21
Figure 2.2 : Social Cognitive Theory Framework 21
Figure 2.3 : Conceptual framework model 22

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS IX
List of Abbreviations
PAS Perception Academic Stress
PSS Perceived Social Support
ASE Academic Self-efficacy
SCT Social Cognitive Theory
PPMC Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS 1
Chapter I
Introduction
Background of Study
Academic stress is unavoidable in psychology due to the fast-paced learning
environment (Ganesan et al.,2018). Academic stress has become an issue to be discussed in
today’s society. It is a common issue dealt with by students throughout their academic life.
Several possible reasons could increase student academic stress, including the competitive
university environment (Fauzi et al.,2021) and parental expectations (Banerjee & Chatterjee,
2016) for their children, which could prove stressful, which grow into heavier burdens that
undergraduate students can no longer bear. That being said, academic stress is indeed
problematic, as it has been shown to have a negative impact and symptoms on undergraduate
students (Rajoo et al.,2019). However, most undergraduate students remain unaware of how
academic stress affects their ability to learn effectively and their overall well-being.
Recently, online learning has significantly impacted students' academic stress (Jia &
Lin, 2020). Perhaps, students must learn to adapt to the new norm of education style, an
online learning method with various online platforms (Abdul Rashid et al.,2020; Pajarianto et
al.,2020). This new social reality has introduced different stressors for students, such as
integration face-to-face difficulties due to students not knowing their classmates and
lecturers, particularly among first-year students, and limitations on social experimentation in
university life (Abdullah et al.,2021) can generally contribute to academic stress. Examples
of problematic issues that students might have experienced are the inability to obtain the
required equipment to follow online sessions, lack of confidence in sharing, self-discipline, or
skills to engage in virtual learning activities. In short, these factors can result in an
increasingly stressful learning environment that generates uncertainty, anxiety, depression,

stress, and a loss of confidence among undergraduate students. Thus, it can be concluded that
academic stress can occur when students cannot regulate and cope with the situation.
Moreover, few research studies suggest that self-efficacy plays an important role in
determining the level of students' academic stress. According to Ye et al. (2018), students
with higher levels of self-efficacy, including student skills and competencies, are less likely
to experience academic stress. Literature by Pajarianto et al. (2020) reviewed that students
who believe they can confidently complete all their assignments will likely experience lower
academic stress. Conversely, students with low self-efficacy levels are more likely to
experience higher levels of academic stress. The recent shift to online learning due to the
pandemic has presented unique student challenges, further contributing to academic stress.
Therefore, family members who provide sufficient support can motivate students to complete
their tasks and help to reduce their academic stress (Madjid et al.,2021).
In short, academic stress has been identified as a potential threat to students’ overall
well-being and health (Villani et al.,2021; Wahed & Hassan,2017). To provide society with
more practical knowledge about academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia
and to contribute to future studies, the study aims to study the relationship between the three
variables among undergraduate students in Malaysia.

Problem Statement
Nowadays, students at all academic levels encounter stressors from personal and
environmental factors (Son et al.,2020). Transitioning from high school to university is
significant and can lead to psychological distress (Fasaro et al.,2019). A local study by Fauzi
et al. (2021) found that academic stress was reported at 65% among 449 undergraduate
students in Malaysia. Nevertheless, people nowadays tend to normalise academic stress,
which is still an issue that should be given attention as it could lead to various negative
outcomes, such as suicidal ideation, poor physical health, anxiety, depression, and alcohol
addiction (Dada et al.,2019; Omar et al.,2020).
As previously mentioned, academic stress can adversely affect students’ mental
health. A study in Malaysia reported the highest prevalence of academic stress among
students from 16 to 25 years old (Hamzah et al.,2019). According to the statistics published,
1.8% of students commit suicide due to failing examinations in Bureau (Saha,2017). Apart
from that, Jia and Loo (2018) reported that 37.7% of undergraduate students in Malaysia
experience a high degree of academic stress, indicating that 1/3 of undergraduates in
Malaysia experience high levels of academic stress. It showed that academic stress was the
primary factor behind these alarming figures.
Besides, Hamzah et al. (2019)’s study emphasised that undergraduate students
reported high depressive symptoms even before the pandemic. The report found that 21% of
undergraduate students were either moderately or highly depressed. Likewise, varied
prevalence rates of depression due to academic stress among Malaysian undergraduates have
been recorded, ranging from 28.2% (Ahmed et al.,2020) to 47.4% (Yusof et al.,2020).
Moreover, Choi et al. (2019) have revealed that undergraduate students would experience
high levels of academic stress and proved that academic stress has been shown to have a
negative effect on students. However, most of the research on the academic stress of
undergraduate students focused only on the negative effects but not the positive impact of
academic stress. Nonetheless, there is a kind of stress that is said to be positive and could
bring about motivation and improvement (Mesurado et al.,2016). Considering all of this
evidence, there is a need to highlight the factors that increase students’ academic stress.
Academic stress and self-efficacy are interrelated (Hechenleitner-Carvallo et
al.,2019). When students are more confident in their intellectual abilities, they are less
stressed, and vice versa. Literature by Soncini et al. (2021) revealed that self-efficacy is a
protective factor that can protect students from mental and psychological issues. However,
research on academic stress and self-efficacy is scarce in Malaysia. Hence, there is a need to
investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and academic stress among undergraduate
students in Malaysia.
Research demonstrates an inverse relationship between perceived social support and
students' psychological disorders, such as anxiety (Alsubaie,2019). Perceived social support
during the first year of study is consistently associated with enhanced well-being
(Brailovskaia et al.,2020). Indeed, perceived social support is an effective stress management
strategy for undergraduate students as they can adapt and cope better with their surroundings
with the help of others (Reynosa et al.,2018). That being said, the more social support they
receive from their parents, peers, or lecturers, the less academic stress they will experience
(Charalambous,2020). Thus, undergraduate students must comprehend the significance of the
stress-inducing effects of perceived social support and self-efficacy (Gustems-Carnicer et al.,
2019). Therefore, research on this area of interest is also important, as developing a more in-
depth understanding of this would be advantageous.

Academic stress leads to various negative outcomes, including anxiety, depression,
and suicidal ideation. However, much-existing research focuses on first-year university
students instead of all years of university students. Therefore, the results could not represent
the population of university students (Abdul Rashid et al.,2020). To address this gap,
studying academic stress among students at different stages and years of study is important.
Therefore, there is a need to conduct research in Malaysia to examine the relationship
between self-efficacy, perceived social support and academic stress among undergraduate
students in Malaysia.
Significance of the study
Theoretical Significance
In this modern era, undergraduate students understand academic stress as a pressured
lifestyle (Banerjee & Chatterjee,2016). Most undergraduate students encounter multiple
stressors, including high self-expectations, inadequate coping skills, social support, and
academic challenges (Sani,2018). With this study, undergraduate students’ awareness of
academic stress can be raised. The findings of this study could resolve the gaps in the
literature in Malaysian studies. Additional research is required to understand this topic, which
has been observed in several contexts. Furthermore, this current research could provide more
helpful information for understanding theoretical significance by affirming the relationship
between perceived social support, self-efficacy, and academic stress.

Practical Significance
Social support is important in providing emotional and practical assistance to students
from their families, friends, and school (Kaniasty,2020). This research is particularly relevant
to students, parents, educators, social workers, and other professionals. For instance, the
university’s guidance and counselling department can demonstrate its concern for students by
developing on-campus programmes or interventions. These programmes can provide students
with the necessary tools to cope with academic stress, as counsellors offer. Furthermore, the
findings of this research suggest that contextual factors and supportive behaviours are
essential for assisting students in managing academic stress. Therefore, the community can
contribute to raising awareness of academic stress and its impact on students' mental health
by supporting intervention programmes.
Social workers can also utilise social networking platforms to disseminate awareness
regarding academic stress among Malaysian undergraduates. The primary objective of this
study is to highlight that perceived social support and self-efficacy are indicators of academic
stress among Malaysian undergraduates. This awareness will enable society to develop
effective intervention programmes that help reduce academic stress among undergraduates.
On the other hand, educators can play an important role in guiding students towards a better
understanding of how self-efficacy and social support impact academic stress. Students can
better cope with academic stress when they know their self-efficacy and perceived social
support. Undergraduates can benefit from this study by gaining insight into the factors
influencing their stress levels. This knowledge will enable undergraduates to adjust and avoid
academic stress, which may negatively impact their academic performance. Additionally, this
study gives undergraduate students a new perspective on connecting with others, which is
crucial for maintaining good mental health.

Mental health practitioners need to recognize the importance of highlighting the
significance of examining this study. The study would increase the public’s awareness of the
factors contributing to undergraduate students' academic stress. In addition, other researchers
could better understand the topic by referring to the current study. The study aims to examine
the impact of perceived social support and self-efficacy on academic stress, thereby providing
valuable insights into the selected variables. By highlighting these findings, mental health
practitioners can develop effective interventions and approaches to support students’ mental
health and well-being. Overall, this study is a significant contribution to the mental health and
education field, and its implications should be acknowledged and disseminated.
Research Objectives
The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy,
perceived social support, and academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia.
Therefore, this study suggested a few research objectives below reach the purpose of the
research :
𝑅𝑂1 : To identify the relationship between perceived social support and self-efficacy.
𝑅𝑂2 : To identify the relationship between self-efficacy and academic stress.
𝑅𝑂3 : To identify the relationship between perceived social support and academic stress.
Research Questions
𝑅𝑄1 : Is there a relationship between perceived social support and self-efficacy?
𝑅𝑄2 : Is there a relationship between self-efficacy and academic stress?
𝑅𝑄3 : Is there a relationship between perceived social support and academic stress?
Research Hypotheses
𝐻1 : There is a relationship between perceived social support and self-efficacy.
𝐻2 : There is a relationship between self-efficacy and academic stress.
𝐻3 : There is a relationship between perceived social support and academic stress.
Definition of Terms
Conceptual Definition of Terms
Self-Efficacy. Bandura (1997) recognised self-efficacy as an important factor in
determining an individual’s future ability to handle a situation. Self-efficacy refers to an
individual’s perceived capability to accomplish a task and may be seen as a precursor to
motivation, which is expected to influence one's behaviour (Holzberger & Prestele,2021).
Students with higher levels of self-efficacy tend to have greater confidence when
encountering obstacles, viewing them as tasks rather than threats. Conversely, students with
low self-efficacy experience significant anxiety or concerns regarding their abilities, making
overcoming barriers challenging (Wilde & Hsu,2019). In this study, self-efficacy is
considered an individual’s self-belief in accomplishing a task.
Perceived Social Support. Social support can be defined as the emotional or practical
assistance that an individual receives from their social environment, including family and
friends (Ferreira et al.,2020). Perceived social support also refers to an individual's perception
of their social circle's ability to provide help and support when needed (Mohebi et al.,2018).
This concept encompasses the resources and conditions available to individuals through their
social networks and supportive relationships (Ioannou et al.,2019).

Academic Stress. Academic stress is the body’s response when a student faces
academic demands that exceed their adaptive capabilities (Alsulami et al.,2018). The causes
of academic stress include high parents expectations, increased workload, and stress in
completing the work to a high standard in a short amount of time (Song & Park,2019).
Academic stress can lead to emotional effects such as tension, irritability, restlessness,
anxiety, inability to relax, sadness, and depression. It can also cause academic task avoidance,
sleep disturbance, difficulty completing tasks, changes in mood and appetite, and social
withdrawal (Crosswell & Lockwood,2020).
Undergraduate Student. Undergraduate students are typically individuals who have
enrolled in an introductory university degree or college course, such as foundation studies, a
Diploma, an Advanced Diploma, an STPM, or a Bachelor’s degree and are typically aged 18
years or older. However, it should be noted that undergraduate students may be of any age.
While undergraduate students can choose to major in any course that interests them, they are
generally required to have a pre-university credential to enrol in a university or college.
Undergraduate students are primarily students enrolled in a school learning to acquire
knowledge, develop professions and achieve easy employment in a particular field, and it
requires at least 1 year or more to complete (Peralta & Klonowski,2017).
Operational Definition of Terms
Academic Stress. The Perception of academic stress scale (PAS) was utilized to
measure the construct of academic stress in this study (Bedewy & Gabriel,2015). This scale
comprises 18 items and employs a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree)
to 5 (strongly agree). The total score of the PAS is obtained by summing up all the items,
with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived academic stress. It should be noted
that items 1 to 5 in the PAS are reverse-items. The PAS has demonstrated good internal
consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of α = .90 (Bedewy & Gabriel,2015). The subscales
demonstrated good convergent validity (Fransca & Dias,2021).
Self-efficacy. The academic self-efficacy scale was developed by Sachitra and Bandra
(2017), adapting and modifying the instruments developed by Byrne (2014) and Matoti
(2011). It comprises 20 items, one reverse-scored (item 17). The scale adopts a five-point
Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The reliability of this
instrument is demonstrated by its Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of α =.96, and it is considered
acceptable. In accordance with Sachitra and Bandara’s (2017) study, higher scores on this
scale signify a greater degree of academic self-efficacy. This scale demonstrates good
construct, convergent, and discriminant validity (Sachitra & Bandara,2017).
Perceived Social Support. Lin et al. (2019) developed a brief perceived social support
scale and aimed to measure the extent to which respondents receive social support from
others. It consists of 6 items, with no reverse item included. The responses ranged from 1 (not
true at all) to 5 (very accurate) on a five-point Likert scale. The final score is computed by
summing up all the items. Therefore, the minimum score on the scale is 6, while the
maximum score is 30. Hence, a higher total score indicates greater levels of perceived social
support. The scale showed high reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of α = .79. This scale
showed excellent construct and discriminant validity (Lin et al.,2019).

Chapter II
Literature Review
Academic Stress
According to Jia and Loo (2018), academic stress impacts most undergraduate
students in Malaysia. In simple words, academic stress can be caused by academic
expectations that exceed students' adaptive abilities, are associated with impending academic
problems, or even the fear of academic failure. A study by Alsulami et al. (2018) found that
academic stress can be caused by academic expectations that exceed students' adaptive
abilities, associated with impending academic problems, or even the fear of academic failure.
Furthermore, Hj Ramli et al. (2018) conducted a study about undergraduate students who
experience high levels of academic stress due to the social expectations they have to perform
numerous inconsistent and unrealistic responsibilities in societal environments. Furthermore,
Omar et al. (2020) claimed that cultural beliefs would influence students when parents tend to
believe that graduating with good grades will lead to better employment opportunities. The
results, in line with Ramachandiran and Dhanapal (2018)’s findings, indicate that the sources
of academic stress that undergraduate students may encounter include self-expectation, high
parental expectations and peer competition. When parents set excessively high academic
expectations and continuously express their concerns over the grades, the students’ academic
stress increases.
Recent studies have shown that most Malaysian undergraduate students lack self-
efficacy and stress management abilities when they experience high academic stress (Faleel
et al.,2021). Students who experience high levels of academic stress may isolate themselves
and avoid socializing with their peers, which may cause negative emotions to continue
affecting them for a prolonged period (Ramon-Arbues et al.,2020). A study by Tangiisuran et
al. (2020) in Malaysia focused on the prevalence and variables of academic stress among
undergraduate students in a public university. The research found academic stress is a
significant issue, particularly among first-year students adapting to a new environment. The
sudden transition from two years of online to physical mode has caused academic stress
among first-year students (Sandra & Amy,2022). The study revealed that first-year students
might struggle to cope with the teaching methods, educational requirements, and
relationships among students, resulting in academic stress (Cassady et al.,2019).
Interestingly, there is a negative correlation between academic stress and physical
health among undergraduate students (Subramani & Kadhiravan,2017). It implies that parents
and schools place excessive pressure on students to achieve high grades, which discourages
students. Academic stress can be caused by insufficient support from parents and schools
regarding guidance, which causes students to experience high academic stress and,
consequently, mental health issues (Mishra,2018). Based on the articles reviewed, the factors
that cause academic stress could be the parents and the student. Nevertheless, it mainly
contributed to negative effects and outcomes for the students as they usually perceived
academic stress as a negative issue.
Perceived Social Support
According to Coyle and Malecki (2018), social support can also be understood as the
behaviour perceived as supportive by a student’s social network, which may increase a
person's overall functioning. Perceived social support can be students’ peers and family
members (Zhao et al.,2021). As for the research direction of Zamani-Alavijeh et al. (2017),
the study reported that students who receive sufficient support when working on assignments
would be able to think positively and achieve their goals effectively compared to students
who did not receive emotional support when working on the tasks or projects.
Past research has demonstrated the benefits of social support for undergraduates.
Huang and Zhang (2021) emphasised the importance of social support for students’ positive
attitudes toward academic stuff. The study reveals that with perceived social support,
students' overall functioning is enhanced by their ability to overcome problems and
challenges in life, as opposed to students with low perceived social support. The result is
congruent with a study by Zhao et al. (2021), who revealed that undergraduate students with
more excellent social support could increase their cognitive, emotional, and behavioural
abilities to cope with stressful experiences.
Surprisingly, Poots and Cassidy (2020) hypothesis that excessive perceived social
support increases students’ academic stress. The finding is unique from previous research.
Zhang et al. (2018) also supported that excessive social support can create overwhelming
expectations for students. They may feel as though they need to meet the high expectations of
their supporters, which can lead to increased stress levels. In conclusion, an evidence gap
regarding the excessive social support and academic stress in undergraduates needs to be
addressed. While some studies have suggested that social support can benefit students, there
is limited research on the potential negative effects of excessive social support. Additionally,
there is a lack of consensus on what constitutes "excessive" social support, making it difficult
to compare findings across studies.
However, undergraduate students receiving social support while pursuing their goals
are happier, more driven, and less stressed (Coyle & Malecki,2018). In the meantime, the
research highlighted that perceived social support would assist students in handling stressful
circumstances more favourably (Maymon et al.,2019). To conclude the previous articles, the
studies indicate that when students are encouraged by their environment, students will view
the academic stress associated with their assignments in a more positive light. Therefore,
social support is essential for undergraduate students since it can provide emotional and
social support when in need (Zamani-Alavijeh et al.,2017). As an environmental factor,
perceived social support influences students’ overall functioning. Therefore, providing
students with the necessary support to manage academic stress, such as social support and
guidance from parents and schools, is essential.
Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy refers to an individual’s confidence in their ability to accomplish tasks,
achieve goals, and take action to develop skills (Wilde & Hsu,2019). It significantly
influences academic success by shaping students' decisions and actions (Malkoc &
KesenMutlu,2018). Self-efficacy can affect a student's motivation, engagement, and
academic achievement. Furthermore, self-efficacy significantly impacts a student’s academic
behaviour (Sadoughi,2018).
Self-efficacy is a belief that one can successfully perform a specific task or academic
activity. Self-efficacy can be a motivational, cognitive, and affective driver of a student’s
behaviour, significantly impacting involvement, effort, self-regulation, and achievement
(Zumbrunn et al.,2019). High self-efficacy would allow students to confront challenges
confidently, generate solutions, be confident in their ability to learn and engage in self-
directed learning. In contrast, students with low self-efficacy may struggle to believe in their
abilities and experience negative academic outcomes. (Saefudin et al.,2021a).
According to Mao et al. (2019), a student’s low self-efficacy is correlated with
academic behaviour, such as viewing challenging tasks as something terrible, and leads to
psychological problems such as stress and anxiety (Ye et al.,2018). Therefore, in recent years,
identifying the factors that influence a student's self-efficacy has become an essential
academic and psychological objective. As such, the findings suggest that the factors
impacting a student’s self-efficacy have been a significant research focus.
Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy
Perceived social support and self-efficacy are both important factors in determining
an individual's well-being and ability to cope with academic stress. According to Social
Cognitive Theory, perceived social support and self-efficacy have a positive relationship.
High social support would stimulate more active learning behaviour in students, which will
increase students’ confidence. When parents pay more attention and show more support,
children result from having higher self-efficacy, which can help them feel more capable of
handling stressors and achieving their goals (Abomah,2021). This point of view indicates the
importance of perceived social support in improving a student’s self-efficacy. This is also
consistent with Grigaite and Soderberg (2021)’s finding; the literature revealed that social
support influences a student’s self-efficacy. When individuals feel supported and connected
to others, they may be better able to cope with academics since they have self-confidence.
Students with greater self-efficacy and social support will believe they can solve academic
difficulties and attain what they set out to do (Fernandez-Lasarte et al.,2019).
Prior research emphasised that the environment factor would affect students’
cognition of social morality which also supports that perceived social support can influence
self-efficacy (Abomah,2021). This is also in line with the hypotheses in the current research,
as perceived social support and self-efficacy show a relationship. Most studies only address
the positive relationship between perceived social support and self-efficacy. Hence, there is
much less information about the negative relationship between perceived social support and
self-efficacy. Additional studies are required to understand the variables comprehensively.
Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy significantly reduces academic stress as it empowers students with the
confidence to complete assignments and overcome the fear of failure. Academic stress and
self-efficacy showed a negative relationship, which means academic stress tends to decrease
when self-efficacy increases. This is consistent with a study by Ashrafi et al. (2019), the
researchers revealed that self-efficacy and academic stress are closely related, with a
student’s belief in their ability to handle a particular situation that can determine whether a
task is seen as challenging or stressful. That said, self-efficacy is an important factor in
coping with academic stress, acting as a buffer against day-to-day stressors faced by
undergraduate students (Freire et al.,2020).
Laninn et al. (2018) found that self-efficacy acts as a buffer against the effects of day-
to-day stressors faced by undergraduate students. Students with high self-efficacy are more
confident, motivated and resilient, which allows them to cope with academic stress better
(Abbas et al.,2019). Conversely, low self-efficacy students may feel overwhelmed, leading to
poor academic performance. Therefore, it can be concluded that high self-efficacy is a
personal factor that can help students reduce academic stress (Schoenfeld et al.,2016). Thus,
the objective is to provide light to examine the relationship between self-efficacy and
academic stress among undergraduate students.

Academic Stress and Perceived Social Support
Family social support has been found to have a significant impact on reducing
academic stress among undergraduate students. According to Wistarini and Marheni (2019),
when students receive assistance or help from their families, they feel accepted, respected,
loved, and happier. Consistent with Jiang and Luo (2021) findings, family and parental social
support have been found to influence students’ academic stress. Students who receive less
social support from their family, friends, or peers find it hard to cope with the academic stress
they experience. The literature reviewed by Wistarini and Marheni (2019) shows that family
social support relates to students' academic stress levels. Students who seldom interact with
their parents tend to be more stressed as they must not receive any support from their support
system (Charalambous,2020). However, excessive social support can increase academic
stress, suggesting that the quality and type of support received are crucial factors.
According to Marhamah and Hamzah (2017), perceived social support can
significantly lower academic stress experienced by undergraduate students regardless of their
years of study. In a study involving 364 undergraduate students in Malaysia, students with
greater perceived social support were less stressed than those with lower perceived social
support, which can enhance their academic performance (Lopez-Angulo et al.,2020). This is
because students with access to social support are more likely to have someone to turn to for
solutions and support when facing academic problems or difficult situations. Parents, friends,
and lecturers are examples of individuals who can provide support to undergraduate students.
It is believed that the greater the perceived social support from parents, friends, or teachers,
the less academic stress students experience. Such support can be emotional or informational
assistance, which can aid students in dealing with academic stress. Social support is
beneficial in regulating and reducing stress among undergraduate students, allowing them to
adapt and cope better with the help of others (Cassady et al.,2019).
Perceived social support appears to have a relationship between academic stress and
the well-being of undergraduate students. To date, the study mostly relied only on first-year
university students, but study on all years of undergraduate students has received less
attention in the research literature (Marhamah & Hamzah,2017). The previous studies were
limited to study on all years of university students, and the results may not accurately
represent the population of undergraduate students. As a result, studying academic stress
among undergraduate students in different years of study is important. Therefore, examining
academic stress and social support among undergraduate students is important for
comprehensively understanding these two variables.
Research on Perceived Social Support, Self-Efficacy and Academic Stress
In Malaysia, research is scarce on the relationship between these three variables. Self-
efficacy is important for students, and self-efficacy is the confidence to do and complete the
task. Undergraduate students have high academic stress due to many other activities related to
their lives. The completion between the students, their parents, and teachers and even
between schools is the prime cause for the stress among undergraduates. The literature has
shown that social support and self-efficacy can impact students’ mental health in online
learning during a pandemic. The relationship between perceived social support, self-efficacy,
and academic stress is complex and interrelated.
With a 71.9% accuracy, a show of perceived social support and self-efficacy can
predict students’ mental health throughout online learning. High levels of perceived social
support can enhance self-efficacy, leading to lower levels of academic stress. In contrast, low
levels of perceived social support and self-efficacy can lead to increased levels of academic
stress. A cross-sectional online survey of 155 Malaysian guidance and counselling students
indicated that perceived social support and self-efficacy are mutually related to student
learning (Laila, 2016). According to Laila (2016), self-efficacy influences students' efforts
and accomplishments compared to students who doubt their learning abilities. In contrast,
social support can provide individuals with the resources, encouragement, and guidance they
need to enhance their self-efficacy beliefs, leading to lower academic stress levels.
According to Wang et al. (2021), high social support will boost an individual's sense
of self-efficacy, but discouragement from social support would decrease a person’s self-
efficacy and increase academic stress. A person with high self-efficacy and a high level of
social support might assist students in coping with academic obstacles associated with
troubled student life and limited social interaction. That being said, a decrease in social
support and low self-efficacy will have a negative impact on students' academic performance
(Szkody et al.,2020). As a result, previous findings are consistent. The current research aims
to determine the relationship between undergraduate students' perceived social support and
self-efficacy with academic stress.
Theoretical Framework
Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Bandura (1991) adopted the social cognitive theory
in conceptualising a framework for the present study. According to Bandura (1991), the core
of this theory is a reciprocal relationship, which is the relationship of personal,
environmental, and behavioural factors. In this study, the personal factor is self-efficacy, the
environmental factor is perceived social support, and the behavioural factor is academic
stress. According to Liu et al. (2017), SCT has also been utilised in academic stress among
undergraduate students. This theory has been applied in various contexts, including
perceptions of cheating (Burnett et al.,2016) in education. For example, in education, SCT
suggests that educators should model behaviours they want their students to emulate, provide
feedback and reinforcement, and create an environment that supports learning.
Moreover, SCT emphasizes the importance of cognitive, behavioural, and
environmental factors in shaping a person’s behaviour (Bandura,2019). SCT gives an
individual the idea to understand how a person's perceptions are formed, how the
environment is shaped, and how the behaviour changes are utilised to explain a person's
behaviour. In Burnett et al. (2016)’s study, SCT is a guide in determining how personal and
environmental factors influence a person’s behaviour. People’s behaviours are important in
determining their thoughts, actions, and emotions (Bandura,1997). For example, an
individual’s self-efficacy will be influenced when he feels stressed because his parents
scolded him for not meeting their expectations. The student will slowly become less
confident and participate less in class because he fears doing the tasks. Environmental and
personal factors will directly affect a person's behaviour. This indicates that every factor has a
relationship (Schunk & DiBenedetto,2019).
In SCT, personal factor refers to an individual's affective and cognitive
characteristics, such as a student's feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Examples of personal
factors such as a person’s self-efficacy (Voo et al.,2018). According to Guldberg et al.
(2017), an educator's teaching styles are one of the determining factors for students to learn
pieces of knowledge from the learning process. It can be said that observational learning
suggests that the connection is made between a person's behaviour, environment, and
personal factors, leading to the acquisition of knowledge (Tri Harinie,2017). Environment
factors focus on the external factors that affect students' performance. Khudzari et al. (2019)
have applied SCT to link environmental factors to behavioural factors wherein the student's
failure is influenced by the syllabus, the relevancy of tasks, and assignment comments.
Consequently, a study by Hwang and Ho (2020) supported that personal and environmental
factors will impact a person's behaviour. The model includes the triangular relationship
between personal, environmental, and behavioural factors (Steins & Behravan,2017). The
personal, behavioural and environmental factors interact closely with one another. Thus, it
may affect students to perform a certain behaviour, such as academic stress.
Academic stress
Self-efficacy
Perceived Social
Social cognitive theory
Support
( Bandura, 1977 )
Figure 2.1 : Theoretical framework model
Personal factors
( Self-efficacy)
Environmental factors
Behavioural factors
( Perceived Social
( Academic Stress )
Support )
Figure 2.2 : Social Cognitive Theory Framework

Conceptual Framework
Figure 2.3 shows the relationship between perceived social support, self-efficacy and
academic stress in this study. In this framework, independent variables are perceived social
support and self-efficacy, whereas academic stress is a dependent variable. The current study
utilised SCT theory whereby self-efficacy is a personal factor, perceived social support is an
environmental factor, and academic stress is a behavioural factor. Undergraduate students
experience lower academic stress when they have higher self-efficacy and high perceived
social support. Meanwhile, students with lower self-efficacy and poor social support will
likely experience high academic stress. This application of SCT in this study aims to find out
the relationship between perceived social support, self-efficacy and academic stress among
undergraduates in Malaysia.
Academic Stress
Self-Efficacy
Figure 2.3 : Conceptual framework model

Chapter III
Methodology
Research Design
The present study was quantitative to analyse the data and draw statistical
conclusions. A correlational research design was used to identify the relationship between
variables, as the study aimed to identify the relationship between perceived social support,
self-efficacy, and academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia. Quantitative
studies are also used to test the social cognitive theory in this present study. A previous study
by Liu et al. (2022) also used quantitative studies to determine Social Cognitive Theory
(SCT).
The present study utilised cross-sectional research designs to generate hypotheses
regarding the relationships between the variables. The selection of a cross-sectional design
was based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria (Watson,2015). This study collected
primary data on perceived social support, self-efficacy, and academic stress among
undergraduate students in Malaysia. The Google Forms platform administered self-reported
survey questionnaires to respondents to obtain the data. According to Kenton (2020), self-
reported survey questionnaires can be quantitative and descriptive to collect data.
Additionally, the questionnaire was appropriate to identify data patterns and trends and draw
meaningful insights from statistical analysis (Apuke, 2017). This data collection method was
appropriate for its user-friendly and reliable nature in gathering responses. This method is
suitable for the current study as it was accessible even to large samples.
An online survey questionnaire containing the questionnaire, consent form,
demographic information form and three scales, which included the Perceptions of Academic
Stress Scale (PAS), Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASE), and Brief Perceived Social Support
Questionnaire (PSS), all of which were Likert scales that required respondents to select based
on their degree of perceived relevance of the items to themselves that was created using
Google Form.
Research Participants
The research participants of the current study were undergraduates in Malaysia aged
between 18 and 26 and currently pursuing their studies in Malaysia. Undergraduates were
chosen as the sample of the present study because they have a high prevalence of academic
stress, which reported that 88% of undergraduate students had moderate to severe stress
(Meng Chuan et al.,2022). Academic stress has significantly impacted undergraduate
students’ confidence and overall well-being (Villani et al.,2021). Therefore, this study aimed
to analyse the relationship between perceived social support, self-efficacy, and academic
stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia. By doing so, the study aimed to provide
insights into the factors contributing to academic stress and explore potential strategies for
mitigating its adverse effects on students.
Sampling Procedures
Sampling Method
A purposive sampling method was used in this study to achieve the research
objectives. Purposive sampling is a non-probability sampling technique to select respondents
with specific inclusion criteria. This approach was utilised to ensure that the respondents
selected for the study were representative of the target population and could provide the
necessary data required to achieve the research objectives. Additionally, the purposive
sampling method was cost-efficient and time-efficient, allowing the researcher to focus on
the respondents who could contribute the most to the research. By employing this method, the
researcher could target individuals with experience with the research topic, resulting in more
meaningful and accurate data. This approach ensured that the research objectives were met
effectively, providing valuable insights into the topic of interest. Therefore, the purposive
sampling method was a suitable choice for this study.
Research Location
The data collection for this study involved the distribution of a self-administered
survey questionnaire via Google Forms to undergraduate students in Malaysia. The current
study reached out to a sample of respondents from universities across several states in
Malaysia, including Sarawak, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Kedah. The researcher
also approached a number of respondents from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar
Campus. The link and QR code of the survey questionnaire was posted through various social
networking platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, WeChat, Microsoft Teams, and
Facebook, to maximise the number of respondents. By utilising these platforms, the survey
reached more potential respondents and ensured that the data collected was comprehensive
and representative of the target population.
Ethical Clearance Approval
The current research adhered to the university's ethical clearance protocol, which
involved obtaining approval from the appropriate authorities before commencing data
collection. Upon the completion of Project Paper I, ethical clearance was obtained from the
UTAR Scientific and Ethical Review Committee, and through the Supervisor of this research
(Puan Anisah Zainab Musa), Head of Department of Psychology Programme (Dr Pung Pit
Wan), Dean of Faculty of Art and Social Science (Dr Lee Lai Meng). Ethical clearance
approval was done to ensure that the research was ethical. The ethical clearance approval was
obtained on 26th January 2023, which then led to the commencement of the data collection
procedure for the pilot study (Re: U/SERC/18/2023).
Sample Size, Power, and Precision
Sample Size Calculation
To calculate the sample size for this research, G*Power 3.1.9.7 version was used.
G*Power is a statistical tool that allows for the computation of statistical power analyses for
various tests, calculation of effect size and graphical display of the results of power analyses
(Faul et al., 2007). Hence, G*Power was suitable for the current research, and it suggested a
sample size of 100 for Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC). However, to account
for missing data, outliers, and incomplete data, the researcher decided to increase the sample
size by 50%, which can enhance the accuracy of the results (Salim & Abdullah, 2017).
Therefore, the final proposed sample size by adding 50% for this research was 150
respondents (n =150).
Actual Sample Size
At the beginning of this research, 150 responses were collected at the end of the data
collection period. After the data analysis, any standard deviation less than 0.5 is considered
an unengaged response. It showed 27 unengaged responses and was subsequently removed
from the analysis as the respondents did not fit this research's inclusion or exclusion criteria.
Unengaged responses refer to responses that do not demonstrate a genuine effort to engage
with the research question. This may include responses that appear random or inconsistent
(Soland et al.,2019).
As a result, this research's sample size consisted of 123 undergraduates, who were
retained for further analysis. This final sample size was deemed appropriate for conducting
statistical analyses to investigate the relationships between the variables of interest in this
research. The actual response rate of the responses was 82%, though 100% of the sample size
(n = 123) was achieved. The final 123 undergraduate students ranged between aged 18 to 25
(M = 22 years; SD = 1.55 years). Among the 123 respondents, there were 54.47% female
respondents (n = 67) and 45.53% of male respondents (n =56).
Power Analysis
To investigate the relationship between social support, self-efficacy, and academic
stress using Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC), the sample size required was
determined using G*Power 3.1.9.7. In G*Power 3.1.9.7., the "Exact" test family of
"Correlation: Bivariate normal model" was selected, with the medium effect size of 0.3 that
was chosen of selecting a conventional effect size for bivariate correlational research (Cohen
et al.,2013). The power analysis determined a power of 0.95, indicating a 95% chance of
obtaining significant results and a margin of error of .05. The suggested sample size was 100.
Research Data Collection Procedures
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
In order to collect data that for the current research, the sampling of research
respondents was done based on a few inclusion and exclusion criteria. These inclusion
criteria ensure that the research's respondents are representative of the population the research
aims to investigate in the Malaysian context. Furthermore, the research respondents must be
undergraduate students aged between 18 and 26 who reported having academic stress. The
research inclusion criteria include respondents who must be studying in a higher institution
located in Malaysia and respondents who must be Malaysian and aged between 18 and 26.
These exclusion criteria were implemented to ensure that the research objectives were
achieved within the context of undergraduate students in Malaysia. Respondents were
excluded if they were under 18 or above 26 years old, inactive students, postgraduate
students, non-Malaysian students, and those studying abroad. Additionally, the respondents
were part of the population for the pilot study, as the data might not be appropriate for the
research.
Procedures for Obtaining Consent
The consent form was located at the forefront of the online survey (Google Form),
and entailed the declaration of voluntary participation in the research. Before participating in
the research, respondents were required to agree with the informed consent form. Those who
willingly consented will proceed to the survey questionnaire. Conversely, those who
disagreed with the informed consent form had the right to withdraw from participating in the
research. Furthermore, respondents retained the right to withdraw their participation in the
research without experiencing any negative ramifications. The informed consent form also
contained the purpose of the research, emphasised the privacy and confidentiality of the
collected data, voluntary participation, the researcher's contact number, and email address.
The data collection period begins from the 7th of February to the 1st of March 2023.
Procedures of Data Collection Procedures
In the second section of the online survey, the research respondents who had agreed to
participate were required to fill up their particular information, including age, gender, race,
nationality, current university, location of the university, course of study, and year of study.
The collection of demographic information was important as it helped to illustrate the diverse
backgrounds of all the research respondents, which added to the researcher's understanding and
the research findings. The final section was the questionnaire, consisting of three scales and
their instructions. The three scales were the Perception of Academic Stress (PAS), Academic
Self-efficacy Scale (ASE), and Brief Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (PSS).
Pilot Study
A pilot study was conducted to ensure practicality and feasibility before initiating the
study. The pilot study involved collecting data from 30 respondents who were from UTAR
Guidance and Counselling students, using various social networking platforms, particularly
Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp. A pilot study was conducted after obtaining ethical
clearance approval from 30th January 2023 to 7th February 2023 to ensure that the research
method and instruments used were appropriate before the actual study's commencement. The
data collected was then analysed to assess the instruments' reliability. The results showed that
the instruments used were reliable for collecting data within the range of .70 (Table, 2018).
Moreover, the results indicated that the instruments had excellent reliability, as demonstrated
in Table 3.1. The reliability of the Academic Self-efficacy Scale (ASE) and Brief Perceived
Social Support Scale (PSS) was 𝛼 =.90., which showed excellent reliability. The reliability of
the Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS) was 𝛼 =.89. The researcher decided not to
make any adjustments and changes after the pilot test. The researcher utilised the same
format as the survey questionnaire from the pilot test to collect the data in the actual study.
Actual Study
The data collection for the actual study started upon confirming that the instruments
were appropriate to be used based on their reliability from 13th February 2023 to 06th March
2023, while the analysis started right after the completion of data collection. The instruments
were employed from the pilot study, and no modifications were made in the actual study.
According to Taber (2018), the instruments demonstrated a satisfactory range of Cronbach’s
alpha at .70. To obtain the necessary number of respondents; the researcher employed several
platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Microsoft Teams, and WeChat, to
distribute the questionnaires. Despite initially recruiting 150 respondents, 27 unengaged
responses were excluded from the research. As a result, a total of 123 valid responses were
utilised. Additionally, the instruments employed in the study showed excellent Cronbach
alpha values exceeding .70, as demonstrated in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1
Reliability of Instruments in the pilot study (n=30) and actual study (n=123)
Instruments Number Cronbach’s alpha Cronbach’s alpha
of Items Pilot Study Actual Study
ASE 20 .90 .96
PSS 6 .90 .96
PAS 18 .89 .90
Note. ASE = Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, PSS = Brief Perceived Social Support
Questionnaire, PAS = Perception of Academic Stress Scale
Instruments
Academic Stress. The perception of Academic Stress (PAS) scale was developed by
Bedwey and Gabriel (2015). It is utilised in this study to assess the academic stress
experienced by undergraduate students. It consists of 18 items on a five-point Likert scale
ranging from 1= strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. A minimum score is 18, while the
maximum is 72. The psychometric properties of the PAS scale indicate reliability with a
Cronbach's alpha of α =.90 in this study. Of the 18 items, 5 are reverse-scored, including
items 1 to item 5. The instrument comprises three subscales, including four items for
academic expectations, eight for workload and examinations, and six for students' academic
perceptions. These subscales demonstrate good content validity, as the items are
unambiguous and do not overlap with other constructs (Franca & Dias, 2021). Sample items
from the PAS scale include “I am confident I will be a successful student”. The score is
categorised into two levels, which are (<54) shows low academic stress, and (≥54) shows
high academic stress.
Self-efficacy. The academic self-efficacy scale was developed by Sachitra and
Bandara (2017) to evaluate the confidence level in asking and answering questions, their
desire to seek guidance from teachers, their capacity to create their study plans, and their
readiness to engage in academic discussion and note-taking with classmates. This scale
consists of 20 items rated on a five-point Likert scale, with responses ranging from 1 =
strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. Scores on the scale range from a minimum of 20 to a
maximum of 100, with higher scores indicating greater academic self-efficacy. Internal
reliability for the academic self-efficacy scale was found to be satisfactory, with Cronbach's
alpha α = .96 in this study. This scale showed good construct, convergent, and discriminant
validity (Sachitra & Bandara,2017). An example item from this scale is "I express my
opinion when I do not understand the lectures," with item 17 serving as the reverse item for
the academic self-efficacy scale. The score range from (<59.72) indicates low self-efficacy,
and (≥59.72) indicates high self-efficacy.
Perceived Social Support. Brief Perceived Social Support Questionnaire was
developed by Lin et al. (2019) and aimed to measure the extent to which respondents
perceive social support from others. It consists of 6 items, with no reverse item included. The
responses ranged from (1) not true at all to (5) very accurate on a five-point Likert scale.
Therefore, the minimum score on the scale is 6, and the maximum score is 30. The scale
showed high reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of α = .96. This scale showed excellent
construct validity and discriminant validity, as it was not significantly correlated with
measures of depression and anxiety, indicating that it is measuring a distinct construct. An
example of the item from this scale is “I experience a lot of understanding and security from
others”. The final score is obtained by summing up all the items. The score of the subscale,
(<18.44) indicates low perceived social support, and (≥18.44) indicates high perceived social
support.
Data Analysis
In this study, the data collected from the Google Form was analysed using Jeffrey
Statistics Program (JASP) version 16.0.2 and Microsoft Excel. The raw data set was obtained
through Google Forms and exported to Microsoft Excel for further computation. Descriptive
statistics were used to summarise the demographic data, including gender, age, educational
institution, programme, and year of study. This approach gave a clear and concise description
of the collected data set. The "Data Analysis" and "Descriptive Data" functions in Excel were
used to calculate the descriptive statistics of the collected data, such as the n-value, mean,
standard deviation, percentage, minimum value, maximum value, as well as skewness,
kurtosis, and Shapiro-Wilk of the three variables. The “=COUNTIF” formula in Excel was
used to compute the descriptive data of the demographic data, while the “=SUM" formula
was used to calculate the sum of the data. The “=AVERAGE" formula calculated the mean of
the data, and the “=STDEV.S" formula computed the standard deviation. Assumptions of
data normality were applied in the current research. PPMC was applied in the data analysis to
investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and perceived social support with academic
stress for Hypotheses 1, 2, and 3. This approach allowed for a comprehensive investigation of
the research questions and provided insights into the relationships between the variables
under research.
Chapter IV
Result
Descriptive Statistics
Demographic Characteristics
Table 4.1 reported the demographic information of respondents in the current study.
In the current study, the sample size consisted of 123 undergraduate students aged between
18 and 25 (M = 22, SD = 1.55). Among all the respondents, the results showed more female
respondents (n =67, 54.47%) than male respondents (n =56, 45.53%). Moreover, the
respondents were primarily Chinese (n =66, 53.66%), followed by Malay (n =36, 29.27%),
Indian (n =7, 5.69%) and Iban (n =14, 11.38%).
The respondents were from 22 different public and private universities across
Malaysia, where the majority of them are currently studying at Universiti Tunku Abdul
Rahman UTAR (n = 45, 36.59%), followed by the University of Malaysia Sarawak UNIMAS
(n =11, 8.94%), and (n =7, 4.67%) were from SMK Baru and TARUMT. In addition, 4.07%
(n =5) were from UM, USM, Fajar College, and Taylor’s University, respectively, and 3.25%
(n =4) were from Heriot-Watt University, UiTM, and UTM, respectively. Moreover, 2.44%
(n =3) of the total respondents reported studying at Sunway University, and 1.63% (n =2)
were from UCSI, Technology College Sarawak, University of Nottingham, UTP, UNIMAP,
and UUM, respectively. The minority of the respondents currently study at Riam Technology
and Help University, 0.81% (n=1), respectively. Furthermore, the majority of the respondents
are currently in year 3 (n =48, 39.02%) of their study, followed by Year 2 (n =28, 22.76%),
Year 1 (n =26, 21.14%), Year 4 (n =11, 8.94%), and Foundation (n =10, 8.13%).
Table 4.1
Demographic Data of Participants (n = 123)
n % M SD Min Max
Gender
Male 56 45.53
Female 67 54.47
Age 22 1.55 18 25
18 1 0.81
19 6 4.88
20 27 21.95
21 22 17.89
22 26 21.14
23 24 19.51
24 12 9.76
25 5 4.07
Ethnicity
Malay 36 29.27
Chinese 66 53.66
Indian 7 5.69
Iban 14 11.38
University
UTAR 45
UM 5
UCSI 2
Taylor 5
TCS 2
SMK Baru 7
Heriot-Watt 4
TARUMT 7
UNIMAS 11
USM 5
UKM 4
UTP 2
Fajar College 5
UNIMAP 2
Riam Tec 1
UiTM 4
Help 1
Nottingham 2
Sunway 3
UTM 4
UUM 2
Year of Study
Year 1 26 39.02
Year 2 28 22.76
Year 3 48 39.02
Year 4 11 8.94
Foundation 10 8.13
Note: n = Number of the respondents; % = Percentage; M = Mean; SD = Standard deviation; Min =
Minimum value; Max = Maximum value
Descriptive Statistics of Topic-Specific Characteristics
The frequency distribution scores of the respondents on self-efficacy, perceived social
support, and academic stress were reported in Table 4.2. Perceived social support (M =18.44;
SD =3.44), self-efficacy (M =59.72; SD =19.97), and academic stress (M =57.56; SD =15.08).
According to Lin et al. (2019), a brief perceived social support questionnaire was used to
examine the degree of perceived social support. The higher the score from the mean, the
greater the social support. There were 43.09% of respondents (n = 53) reported having a low
degree of perceived social support, and 53.91% (n = 70) reported having a high degree of
perceived social support. According to Sachitra and Bandara (2017), the Academic self-
efficacy scale is used to test the student’s self-efficacy. The higher score from the mean
indicates higher self-efficacy. There were 40.65% of the respondents (n = 50) reported having
a low degree of self-efficacy, and 59.35% (n = 73) reported having a high degree of self-
efficacy. Furthermore, there are 58 respondents (47.15%) reported low academic stress. The
65 respondents (52.85%) reported high academic stress. The total scores for PAS were
categorised into two levels, which are low (≤ 53) and high (≥ 54). The categories were
suggested in research by Cayson et al. (2020).

Table 4.2
Distribution of Topic-Related Characteristics (n=123)
n % M SD Min Max
Perceived Social Support 18.44 3.44 7 30
Low (<18.44) 53 43.09
High (≥18.44) 70 53.91
Academic Self-Efficacy 59.72 19.97 25 88
Low (<59.72) 50 40.65
High (≥59.72) 73 59.35
Perception of Academic Stress 57.56 15.08 29 79
Low (<54) 58 47.15
High (≥54) 65 52.85
Note: n = Amount of the respondents; % = Percentage; M = Mean; SD = Standard deviation; Min =

Minimum value; Max = Maximum value
Data Diagnostic and Missing Data
Frequency and Percentages Missing Data
As the survey questionnaire was created using Google Forms, all the items were set as
compulsory to be answered before the respondents could proceed to the following sections
and submit their responses. Therefore, this feature of Google Forms has helped to exclude
missing data in the three scales. After the data arranging and filtering, no missing data existed
in this study. However, there were 27 unengaged responses that were removed before
proceeding to the statistical analyses. Therefore, 123 responses were included in the further
data analysis process in the current research.

Methods for Addressing Missing Data
The missing data detection was conducted to detect the missing data by using the MS
Excel function. In order to ensure reliability and reduce the likelihood of high standard error,
cases with less than 80% completion were removed from the present research (Gyasi et al.,
2017). This was because incomplete data could potentially affect the reliability of the results.
To address missing data, cases with more than 20% of missing data were also removed. If
missing data were present, the median of the ordinal level data would have been imputed
relatively. However, in the present research, there was no missing data detected. All the
collected data was sorted in ascending order from the smallest to the largest to address
missing data. The “COUNTBLANK” function was used to detect missing data. For instance,
the formula of “=COUNTBLANK(A2:AZ2)” in Microsoft Excel was used in the detection
process, and the A2 to BE2 represented the data for this study. If the outcome of the data
computation for missing data was 0, there are no missing data. In addition, Google Forms
could help avoid missing data in the current research. This is due to the fact that the Google
Form setting requires respondents to answer all questions in the survey before proceeding to
the next section. Therefore, there were no missing data in the present research.
Criteria for Post Data-Collection Exclusion of Participants
The unengaged response throughout the research will be excluded based on the
following exclusion criteria. The formula using excel of "=STDEV.S(I2:AZ2)" was used to
exclude the data that showed unengaged responses in this study. The unengaged response in
the data set was detected when it was scored under .50 (Pamu,2017). Hence, the 27
unengaged responses were excluded to prevent them from affecting the data analysis. The
missing data that more than 20% form each response will bring bias to the research (Gyasi et
al.,2017). There were 27 unengaged responses in this study. The current research filtered out
and removed the unengaged responses from considering the research’s accuracy.
Gyasi et al. (2017) suggest that outliers can have a negative impact on the normality
of data. A boxplot was created using JASP 0.12.2.0 to detect potential outliers in the current
research. As a result, no outliers were detected by using JASP. Additionally, kurtosis,
skewness, and the Shapiro-Wilk test were computed to identify any potential abnormalities in
the data distribution.
Criteria for Imputation of Missing Data
After the data collection process, the data exclusion was done by removing the invalid
responses. According to Gyasi et al. (2017), data will be deleted if the respondents have more
than 20% of missing data. The respondents with less than 80% completion will be deleted to
avoid bias to the research result and ensure the reliability of this research. Lastly, this
research was not conducted with the imputation of missing data since no missing data was
detected after the detection process.
Analyses of Data Distributions
Normality of Variables. According to Gupta et al. (2019), the normality test can help
to determine and recognise the collected data properly distributed and enables the data to use
in further data statistical analysis procedures. This research included skewness, kurtosis,
Shapiro-Wilk and JASP boxplots for all the variables. Before conducting the data analysis,
the researcher checked the data's normality, and the researcher could evaluate the central
tendency and choose which statistical test should be used to analyse the data (Mishra et
al.,2019).
Skewness and Kurtosis. To assess the normality of the data, skewness and kurtosis
tests were performed in this study to determine the distributional characteristics of the
variables. Table 4.3 lists the value of skewness and kurtosis. Based on Table 4.3, the
skewness of self-efficacy, perceived social support and academic stress is -0.321, -0.226, and
-0.322, respectively. The kurtosis of self-efficacy, perceived social support and academic
stress is -1.446, -1.578, and -1.160, respectively. The skewness and kurtosis of the variables
were within an acceptable range between ±2.00. The negative skewness of skewness and
kurtosis also indicates that the data set's distribution was more horizontal and distributed in
light-tailed (platykurtic).
Shapiro-Wilk. It is used to test data normality. If the p-value is below .05, the null
hypothesis is rejected. As a result, the data is non-normal. Hence, the assumption of the
parametric test is not fulfilled. In this study, the Shapiro-Wilk test of self-efficacy, perceived
social support, and academic stress is 0.888, 0.871, and 0.925, respectively. The p-value
above .05 showed that the data are normal.
Table 4.3 Result of the Normality Test
Skewness Kurtosis Shapiro Wilk P-value of

Shapiro-Wilk
Self-Efficacy -0.321 -1.446 0.888 < .001

Perceived Social Support -0.226 -1.578 0.871 < .001
Academic Stress -0.322 -1.160 0.925 < .001
Boxplot and Outliers. In this study, outliers are defined as data points that
significantly deviate from the rest of the dataset, potentially causing biases in the analysis.
Notably, no outliers were identified in the current research, as shown in Appendix C.
Therefore, a valid response of 123 from the data set was used in further data analysis
procedures.
Data Analysis
Pearson Product-Moment Correlation
𝑯𝟏 : There is a relationship between perceived social support and self-efficacy.
The assumption of Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) was observed to
examine the relationship between social support and self-efficacy. In this study, the
assumptions of Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC), including both univariate
and bivariate normality (refer appendix B), and normality distribution based on skewness and
kurtosis, as shown in Table 4.3, and random sampling from the population. The bivariate
normality was also tested using the Shapiro-Wilk Test, which showed a p-value of .007,
indicating that the assumptions of PPMC were met.
The result showed that r (123) = .923, p < .001. The direction of the correlation was
positive, which means the higher the self-efficacy, the higher degree of perceived social
support. Therefore, 𝐻1 was supported. There is a significant positive relationship between
social support and self-efficacy. In this study, the effect size of the relationship between
perceived social support and self-efficacy was large (r =.923 >.2). Using Guilford’s rule of
thumb, the effect size indicated that the strength of the relationship is strong since the r value
falls between ±.7 to ±.9.
Table 4.4 Correlations between perceived social support and self-efficacy (n=123)
Variable ASE
PSS Pearson’s r 0.923***
p-value < .001
Note: *p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001

𝑯𝟐 : There is a relationship between self-efficacy and academic stress
The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) assumption was observed to
investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and academic stress, including both
univariate and bivariate normality (refer appendix B), and normality distribution based on
skewness and kurtosis, as shown in Table 4.3, and random sampling from the population. The
Shapiro-Wilk Test for bivariate normality showed p < .001, which was smaller than .05,
Based on Table 4.5, the result showed a strong and negative correlation between self-
efficacy and academic stress, which was r (123) = -.859, p < .001. Therefore, 𝐻2 was
supported. The direction of the correlation was negative, which means the higher the self-
efficacy, the lower degree of academic stress and vice versa. In this study, the effect size of
the relationship between self-efficacy and academic stress was large (r = -.859 > .2). Using
Guilford’s rule of thumb, the effect size indicated that the strength of the relationship is
strong since the r value falls between ±.7 to ±.9.
Table 4.5 Correlations between self-efficacy and academic stress (n=123)
Variable AS
ASE Pearson’s r -0.859***
p-value < .001
Note: *p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001

𝑯𝟑 : There is a relationship between perceived social support and academic stress
To investigate the relationship between social support and academic stress, the
assumption of Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) was observed, including both
univariate and bivariate normality (refer appendix B), and normality distribution based on
skewness and kurtosis, as shown in Table 4.3, and random sampling from the population. The
Shapiro-Wilk Test for bivariate normality showed p < .001, which was smaller than .05,
Based on Table 4.6, the result showed a negative correlation between perceived social
support and academic stress, which was r (123) = -.841, p <.001. Therefore, 𝐻3 was
supported. The direction of the correlation was negative, which means the higher level of
academic stress, the lower level of perceived social support and vice versa. In this study, the
effect size of the relationship between social support and academic stress was large (r =
-.841 > .2). Using Guilford’s rule of thumb, the effect size indicated that the strength of the
relationship is strong since the r value falls between ±.7 to ±.9.
Table 4.6 Correlations between perceived social support and academic stress (n=123)
Variable AS
PSS Pearson’s r -0.841***
p-value < .001
Note: *p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001

Chapter V
Discussion & Conclusion
Discussion
The objectives of the present research aimed to examine the relationships between
perceived social support and self-efficacy, and academic stress among undergraduate students
in Malaysia.
Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy
The 𝐻1 of the research posited that there is a relationship between perceived social
support and self-efficacy. According to the findings of PPMC, the result showed a significant
positive relationship between perceived social support and self-efficacy. The research
findings are consistent with the findings from previous studies (Abomah,2021; Grigaityte,
2021). Therefore, these results could provide evidence that undergraduate students with
higher levels of perceived social support are likely to have high levels of self-efficacy.
Undergraduate students with high levels of self-efficacy and perceived social support are
more likely to be resilient and able to navigate the challenges of academic life. In turn, this
can help students to reduce academic stress. This can be explained by the fact that perceived
social support can give students the encouragement and resources they need to overcome
challenges and achieve their goals (Yang & Wang,2018). Therefore, students will feel less
stressed and more capable of dealing with challenges if the students have greater social
support (Mishra,2020).
Besides that, the current research was consistent with a study by Narayanan and
Alexius (2016) conducted with undergraduate students in Malaysia revealed that self-efficacy
and perceived social support are both important factors for developing a student’s ability to
cope with academic stress. The results fit with Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) which showed
that personal and environmental factor is the variables that can contribute to behavioural
factor. This point of view indicates the importance of social support and self-efficacy in
contributing to academic stress. According to Fernandez-Lasarte et al. (2019), higher social
support will affect a student’s ability to cope with academic stress and challenging situation.
The findings may claim that greater social support and self-efficacy could help
undergraduates achieve better academic performance and reduce academic stress. The results
lead to a similar conclusion to the past findings, where perceived social support and self-
efficacy showed a significant positive relationship (Abomah,2021; Grigaityte &
Soderberg,2021; Yang & Wang,2018).
Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy
The 𝐻2 of the research posited that there is a relationship between academic stress and
self-efficacy. The research findings lead to a similar conclusion from the past findings, which
indicate a negative relationship between academic stress and self-efficacy (Abbas et al.,2019;
Freire et al.,2020; Laninn et al.,2018). The finding supports that undergraduate students with
higher self-efficacy will experience lower academic stress. This was because students with
high academic self-efficacy believed they could finish the academic tasks, leading to low
academic stress. Meanwhile, students with low academic self-efficacy will feel incapable of
completing their academic tasks, leading to high academic stress (Freire et al.,2020).
Students with poor self-efficacy have low aspirations, which may result in academic
stress becoming part of a self-fulfilling feedback cycle. Through the findings, the research
also noted that self-efficacy is an important factor that would help students to reduce stress.
The result of the finding can be explained using Social Cognitive theory, which focuses on a
person's personal factor that will affect the behavioural factor (Voo et al.,2018). Consistent
with past studies in Malaysia, self-efficacy is a personal factor that could help students reduce
academic stress (Ashrafi et al.,2019). Specifically, undergraduate students who experience
high levels of academic stress may begin to doubt their abilities and lose confidence in their
academic skills, leading to decreased self-efficacy (Schoenfeld et al.,2016). Conversely,
when students feel confident in their ability to manage environmental stressors, they are less
likely to view such stressors as negative and will employ healthy coping mechanisms to
moderate the emotional impact of stressful situations (Piergiovanni & Depaula,2018). From
the discussion, these results indicated that a high level of self-efficacy is a factor that can act
as a buffer against academic stress, while low self-efficacy can contribute to an increase in
academic stress (Arias-Chavez et al.,2020).
Academic Stress and Perceived Social Support
The 𝐻3 of the research posited that there is a relationship between academic stress and
perceived social support. The findings of Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC)
revealed a significant negative correlation between academic stress and perceived social
support. The higher the degree of perceived social support, the lower the academic stress. The
findings are consistent with most previous studies' findings (Jiang & Luo,2021; Marhamah &
Hamzah,2017). The research findings from Jiang and Luo (2021) showed that undergraduate
students who experience high levels of academic stress might feel overwhelmed and isolated,
decreasing their perception of social support. Conversely, when students feel supported by
others, they may be better able to cope with academic stressors (Cassady et al.,2019). The
result now provides evidence of perceived social support, which can be an environmental and
protective factor against academic stress (Charalambous,2020).
Significantly, female students who reported higher levels of social support reported
lower levels of academic stress, while they also reported higher levels of academic stress.
When students perceive that they have support from their social network, they can better cope
with academic stressors (Marhamah & Hamzah,2017). In order to deal with stressful
situations, students require trustworthy people from their support system to whom they can
externalise their emotions, problems, or difficulties. Students may react positively to stressful
events if they know someone is there to support them and listen to their opinions (Coyle et
al.,2019). Undergraduate students may seek advice, guidance, or emotional support from their
support system, which can help them to improve their confidence and feel less overwhelmed
(Suwinyattichaiporn & Johnson,2020). The results have shown that undergraduate students
with greater perceived social support will have low academic stress.
Implication
Theoretical Implication
Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) was the theory that was used to formulate a
theoretical framework in the current research (Bandura,1986). Based on the results, it was
shown that the current research also provided further knowledge on understanding the three
variables and contributed to validating the theory under the context of undergraduate students
in Malaysia. The findings of the current research support SCT which emphasises the
importance of the personal and environmental factors among Malaysian undergraduate
students in improving students’ behavioural factors, which supports that self-efficacy and
perceived social support can influence academic stress. SCT emphasises that self-efficacy is a
personal factor and a key determinant of academic stress. Based on the findings, personal and
environmental factors had a significant relationship with behavioural factors. The findings
have broached awareness to society and provide new insight into perceived social support,
self-efficacy and academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia.
In the past research, the results are consistent with the present findings, which
supported personal and environmental factors with behavioural factors. Self-efficacy is a
personal factor that refers to a person’s belief in their ability to achieve a desirable outcome.
Students with high levels of self-efficacy may be more likely to engage in positive academic
behaviours, such as studying regularly and seeking help when needed. This results in leading
to lower levels of academic stress. According to Okechukwu et al. (2022), students who
perceive high levels of social support from friends, family, and other sources may be better
equipped to cope with academic challenges and stressors. This can lead to lower levels of
academic stress and better academic outcomes.
The findings suggest that self-efficacy and perceived social support play important
roles in undergraduate students' academic stress experience. These results have important
theoretical implications for SCT, as they further support the idea that self-efficacy and social
support are key determinants of student behaviour. Understanding how personal and
environmental factors contribute to academic stress can help educators and mental health
professionals develop effective interventions to promote student well-being and academic
success. Overall, this research highlights the utility of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as a
framework for understanding the personal and environmental factors contributing to
undergraduate students' academic stress. At the same time, it was concluded that SCT was
validated in the current study, and the results were significant.

Practical Implication
This research can help to provide knowledge on the relationship between the
variables. With the findings of this research, students will be more aware of the impact of
academic stress. This can help students recognise the importance of seeking social support,
developing self-efficacy beliefs, and managing academic stress. Also, students can seek
resources to help them improve their academic performance. The undergraduates could seek
assistance from mental health professionals or their support system to reduce academic stress.
Based on the current research findings, it can empower students to take proactive steps to
improve their academic performance. With improved self-efficacy and social support,
undergraduates can perform better academically.
Parents could have a better understanding of how support from the parents can have
negative effects on their academics. Therefore, through these findings, parents can be aware
of the academic workload of their children and provide them with emotional support to help
them cope with academic stress. Moreover, parents can work to encourage their children to
build and maintain supportive relationships with their peers and to participate in
extracurricular activities that promote social connections.
For counsellors, the research findings can help better understand the factors that
impact academic performance and overall well-being. Counsellors can use these findings or
information to develop interventions and support strategies that can help students to improve
their sense of social support, increase their self-efficacy, providing them with resources to
cope and reduce their academic stress. The professionals could incorporate the findings into
their treatment plans. For instance, if a counsellor is dealing with a client who faces academic
stress, the counsellor can help the client look at the personal and environmental factors, self-
efficacy and social support to reduce academic stress. By understanding the relationship
between perceived social support and self-efficacy, counsellors could provide targeted
interventions to assist undergraduate students in uplifting their self-efficacy and widening
academic success.
Moreover, lecturers can apply the findings from this research to their teaching
practices. For example, educators can use the findings to identify strategies to reduce
academic stress among students, such as providing clear instructions and feedback on
assignments or offering student support (Casapulla et al.,2020). They can also use the
findings to identify strategies to promote self-efficacy among students, such as assigning
challenging but achievable tasks, providing positive feedback on students' work, or
encouraging them to take on leadership roles in group assignments (Hayat et al.,2020).
For society, the study of perceived social support, self-efficacy, and academic stress
can help improve educational outcomes, reduce the burden of mental health issues, and
promote overall health and well-being. Investing in research ,and interventions that address
these factors can create a more supportive and resilient society. By identifying the factors
contributing to academic stress ,and poor academic performance, society can provide better
support for students and improve educational outcomes. This can have far-reaching benefits
for individuals, communities, and society.
Limitations of Study & Recommendations for Future Research
One concern about the findings was that the students had misunderstood the meaning
of the items in the survey questionnaire as the researchers could not give detailed
explanations physically. English language in Malaysia is less used in public universities or
schools, and English will not be the mother tongue of public undergraduate students (Hawa et
al.,2021). Thus, the students might randomly answer questions they do not truly understand.
The future researcher might consider using dual language in the survey questionnaire. Dual
language surveys can help ensure that all respondents understand and respond to the
questions regardless of their primary language. This approach can be particularly important
when researching areas with diverse linguistic populations (Anderson et al.,2017).
An additional limitation is the use of purposive sampling. This approach has a
limitation in the generalisability of findings to a wider population, and there may be difficulty
in identifying possible biases that could affect the results (Berndt, 2020). This study's
sampling method is purposive, which may lead to a biased result. Examples of bias such as
sampling bias or selection bias. For example, the data collected from the research mainly
were Chinese who were studying in UTAR. The researchers selected respondents for their
online survey based on their subjective assumptions. As a result, the biases might lead to an
invalid finding. It is recommended that future researchers use the probability sampling
method to increase the generalizability of research findings, and it can remove any sampling
bias while having higher validity on the findings.
An apparent limitation in this study is an imbalance of the respondents’ race ratio in
the current study, as there is a large gap between the ethnicities. In the research, the Chinese
ratio is more than the other ethnicity, making up Chinese (53.66%), followed by Malay
(29.27%), Indian (5.69%) and Iban (11.38%). Therefore, the finding might not represent a
multicultural society. Addressing the issue of an imbalance of respondents’ ratio of race or
ethnicity is essential to ensure that the representative of target population in research
(Bourdin & Vetschera, 2018). Future research can use stratified sampling to ensure that an
appropriate proportion of respondents from each racial or ethnic group is included
(Bhardway,2019). This can help ensure that each group is represented adequately and can
help reduce the potential for bias.

Furthermore, the limitation of this research is the self-reported questionnaire, and
respondents may be more likely to agree or disagree with items on a self-reported measure
and not always be honest or accurate in their responses, resulting in bias and potentially
distorting the results (Mazza et al.,2020). Self-reported survey questionnaires may not capture
the full complexity of an individual's experiences or emotions, limiting the depth of
understanding that can be gained from the data. To address this limitation, a qualitative study
could be a useful complement to a self-reported survey. Qualitative studies such as interviews
allow researchers to gather more in-depth information about respondents’ experiences and
emotions and to explore more that may not be captured by self-reported survey
questionnaires (Tomaszewski et al.,2020).
The sample population in the research area is a significant limitation that can be found
in this study. With a small sample size, it is difficult to generalize the findings to a larger
population (Kim & Park,2019). The smaller the sample size, the less likely the results will be
representative of the entire population. In this study, the researcher approached most of the
respondents from Perak. Hence, it will limit the generalizability of the findings as they could
not represent Malaysia, and the results may not apply to an individual not included in the
study. To address this limitation, the future researcher can consider increasing the sample size
to represent the population better. Researcher could reach out more respondents across
Malaysia ,and provide more accurate results.

Conclusion
The current research aimed to examine the relationship between perceived social
support, self-efficacy, and academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia. The
objectives had been achieved. The findings indicated that academic stress significantly
negatively correlates with self-efficacy and perceived social support. Additionally, self-
efficacy and perceived social support have a significant positive relationship. The current
study has shed some light on the concept of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), as is supported
by the current findings in which the relationship between personal, environmental, and
behavioural factors is interrelated. This research has filled in the literature gaps in the
Malaysian context by studying perceived social support, self-efficacy, and academic stress
among Malaysian undergraduates.
Overall, this research strengthens the idea that self-efficacy and perceived social
support significantly reduce academic stress among undergraduate students. The insights
gained from this research calls the undergraduates, parents, educators, professionals, and
mental health practitioners to develop or improve intervention programme or training that
helps to reduce academic stress. The findings suggest a direction for future local research on
similar topics or to further examine other variables that can affect academic stress among
undergraduate students in the Malaysian context. This would be a fruitful area for further
work.
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Appendices
Appendix A
Sample Size Calculation

Self-efficacy and Academic Stress
Effect Size
𝑅2
𝑓 2 = 1− 𝑅2
(0.414)2
𝑓 2 = 1− (0.414)2
(0.1714)
𝑓 2 = 1− 0.1714
𝑓 2 = 0.2069
Perceived Social Support and Academic Stress
𝑅2
𝑓 2 = 1− 𝑅2
(0.29)
𝑓 2 = 1−(0.29)
0.29
𝑓 2 = 1− 0.29
𝑓 2 = 0.4085
Self-Efficacy and Social Support
𝑅2
𝑓 2 = 1− 𝑅2
(0.509)2
𝑓 2 = 1− (0.509)2
0.2591
𝑓 2 = 1− 0.2591
𝑓 2 = 0.3497
Effect Size
0.2069+0.4085+0.3497
𝑓2 = 3
0.9651
𝑓2 = 3
𝑓 2 = 0.3217
Appendix B
JASP 0.16.4 Output for Pearson’s Correlation
𝑯𝟏 : Correlation
Pearson's Correlations
Variable SUM ASE SUM PSS
1. SUM ASE Pearson's r —
p-value —
2. SUM PSS Pearson's r 0.923 *** —
p-value < .001 —
* p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
Assumption checks
Shapiro-Wilk Test for Multivariate Normality

Shapiro-Wilk p
0.969 0.007
Shapiro-Wilk Test for Bivariate Normality

Shapiro-Wilk p
SUM ASE - SUM PSS 0.969 0.007
𝑯𝟐 ∶ Correlation
Variable SUM PAS SUM ASE
1. SUM PAS Pearson's r —
p-value —
2. SUM ASE Pearson's r -0.859 *** —
p-value < .001 —
* p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
Assumption checks

Shapiro-Wilk p
0.944 < .001

Shapiro-Wilk p
SUM PAS - SUM ASE 0.944 < .001
𝑯𝟑 ∶ Correlation
Variable SUM PSS SUM PAS
1. SUM PSS Pearson's r —
p-value —
2. SUM PAS Pearson's r -0.841 *** —
p-value < .001 —
* p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
Assumption checks

Shapiro-Wilk p
0.915 < .001

Shapiro-Wilk p
SUM PSS - SUM PAS 0.915 < .001
Appendix C
Descriptive Statistics
ASE
Valid 123
Missing 0
Mean 59.724
Std. Deviation 19.969
Skewness -0.321
Std. Error of Skewness 0.218
Kurtosis -1.446
Std. Error of Kurtosis 0.433
Shapiro-Wilk 0.888
P-value of Shapiro-Wilk < .001
Note. ASE = Academic Self-Efficacy
SUM PSS
Valid 123
Missing 0
Mean 18.439
Skewness -0.226
Kurtosis -1.578
Shapiro-Wilk 0.871
Note. PSS = Perceived Social Support

SUM PAS
Valid 123
Missing 0
Mean 58.000
Skewness -0.322
Kurtosis -1.160
Shapiro-Wilk 0.925
Note. PAS = Perception of Academic Stress

Appendix D
Boxplots for Each Distributions with Outliers
Perception of Academic Stress
Academic Self-Efficacy

Appendix E
Instruments
Academic Self-Efficacy Scale
Please read each statement carefully before answering. Select how accurate these statements
describe you from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
1. I ask questions in lectures
2. I respond to questions asked in lectures
3. I draw up a study plan
4. I ask help from my lecturers
5. I write up additional notes
6. I plan my time for examinations
7. I ask help from my friends when I have issues in subjects matters
8. I produce my best work in examinations
9. I engage in academic discussions with my friends
10. I make sense of feedback on my assignments
11. I explain subject matters to my friends
12. I make good attempt to answer questions in advance
13. I meet my deadlines for my assignments
14. I make an attempt to meet the deadline for group assignments
15. I pay attention during every lecture
16. I express my opinion when I do not understand the lectures
17. I feel nervous when I am doing presentations
18. I come forward to do presentation in group assignments
19. I feel confident that I can complete the degree within 4 years
20. I make sense of feedback on my examinations

Brief Perceived Social Support Questionnaire
Please read each statement carefully before answering. Select how accurate these statements
describe you from 1 (not true at all) to 5 (very true).
1. I experience a lot of understanding and security from others.
2. I know a very close person whose help I can always count on.
3. If necessary, I can easily borrow something I might need from neighbors or friends.
4. I know several people with whom I like to do things.
5. When I am sick, I can without hesitation ask friends and family to take care of important
matters for me.
6. If I am down, I know to whom I can go without hesitation.

Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS)
Please read each statement carefully before answering. Select how often you behave in the
stated manner on the scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
1. Am confident that I will be a successful student.
2. Am confident that I will be a successful in my future career.
3. I can make academic decisions easily.
4. The time allocated to classes and academic work is enough.
5. I have enough time to relax after work.
6. My teachers are critical of my academic performance.
7. I fear failing courses this year.
8. I think that my worry about examinations is weakness of character.
9. Teachers have unrealistic expectations of me.
10. The size of the curriculum (workload) is excessive.
11. I believe that the amount of work assignment is too much.
12. Am unable to catch up if getting behind the work.
13. The unrealistic expectations of my parents stresses me out.
14. Competition with my peers for grades is quite intense.
15. The examination questions are usually difficult.
16. Examination time is short to complete the answers.
17. Examination times are very stressful to me out
18. Even if I pass my exams, am worried about getting a job

Appendix F
Turnitin Report
Appendix G
Supervisor Comment on Originality Report

Form Title : Supervisor’s Comments on Originality Report Generated by Turnitin
for Submission of Final Year Project Report (for Undergraduate Programmes)
Form Number: FM-IAD-005 Rev No.: 0 Effective Date: 01/10/2013 Page No.: 1of 1
Full Name(s) of AMANDA LIM XIN YI

Candidate(s)
ID Number(s) 19AAB03195
Programme / Course Guidance and Counselling
Title of Final Year Project A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED

SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS
AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA
Similarity Supervisor’s Comments

(Compulsory if parameters of originality exceeds the
limits approved by UTAR)
Overall similarity index: 14%
Similarity by source
Internet Sources: 10 %
Publications: 7 %
Student Papers: 3 %
Number of individual sources listed of

more than 3% similarity: -
Parameters of originality required and limits approved by UTAR are as follows:

(i) Overall similarity index is 20% and below, and
(ii) Matching of individual sources listed must be less than 3% each, and
(iii) Matching texts in continuous block must not exceed 8 words
Note: Parameters (i) – (ii) shall exclude quotes, bibliography and text matches which are less than 8 words.
Note Supervisor/Candidate(s) is/are required to provide softcopy of full set of the originality
report toFaculty/Institute
Based on the above results, I hereby declare that I am satisfied with the originality of the
FinalYear Project Report submitted by my student(s) as named above.
Anisah
Signature of Supervisor Signature of Co-Supervisor
Name: Anisah Zainab Musa Name:
Date : 10/04/2023 Date:

Appendix H
Ethical Approval
Re: U/SERC/18/2023
10 January 2023
Dr Pung Pit Wan

Head, Department of Psychology and Counselling
Faculty of Arts and Social Science
Jalan Universiti, Bandar Baru Barat
31900 Kampar, Perak.
Dear Dr Pung,
Ethical Approval For Research Project/Protocol
We refer to the application for ethical approval for your students’ research project from Bachelor of
Social Science (Hons) Guidance and Counselling programme enrolled in course
UAPC3083/UAPC3093. We are pleased to inform you that the application has been approved under
Expedited Review.
The details of the research projects are as follows:
Research Title Student’s Name Supervisor’s Name Approval Validity

1. Emotion Regulation Among Undergraduates in
Malaysia: Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness, and Ching Kai Xuan
Positive Reappraisal
2. A Study of Smartphone Addiction, Fear of Rejection,
and Interpersonal Communication Skills as Predictors Dewayne Kuek Hui
Mr Ho Khee Hoong
of Social Connectedness Among Malaysian En
Undergraduate Students
3. Help-seeking Behaviour Among Male University
Students: Mental Health Literacy, Self-stigma and Mah Jin Sheng
Conformity Towards Masculine Norms
4. A study of depression, stress, and pornography
consumption among undergraduate students in Chua Jing Yi
Malaysia
Mr Lee Wei Rong
5. The Relationship between Spiritual Intelligence,
Cognitive Flexibility and Perceived Stress among Tanita Sadiq
10 January 2023 –
Undergraduates in Malaysia
9 January 2024
6. The Effects of Different Cooperative Communication
Jeremy Lam Yew
Mechanics on the Problem-Solving Skills and
Kong
Creativity Levels of University Students
7. The Effectiveness of CBT on Big Five Personality
Traits and Internet Aggression in Undergraduate Teoh Wen Qi Ms Kavitha a/p Nalla
Students: A Single Subject Study Muthu
8. The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT) on Social Appearance Anxiety and
Wong Yik Theng
Self-Compassion Among Malaysian Undergraduate
Students: A Single Case Study
9. Understanding the Psychological Well Being of Legasree a/p Ravi
Covid-19 Survivors Chandran
Ms Komathi a/p
10. A Phenomenological Exploration of Counselling
Lokithasan
Students’ Experiences with Group Counselling Ng Jia Wei
Sessions
Kampar Campus : Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, 31900 Kampar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
Tel: (605) 468 8888 Fax: (605) 466 1313
Sungai Long Campus : Jalan Sungai Long, Bandar Sungai Long, Cheras, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Tel: (603) 9086 0288 Fax: (603) 9019 8868
Website: www.utar.edu.my
Appendix I
Marking Rubrics
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELLING
UAPC3093 PROJECT PAPER II
Quantitative Research Project Evaluation Form
TURNITIN: ‘In assessing this work you are agreeing that it has been submitted to the
University-recognised originality checking service which is Turnitin. The report
generated by Turnitin is used as evidence to show that the students’ final report
contains the similarity level below 20%.’
Project Title :
A study of the relationship between perceived social support, self-efficacy, and academic stress
among undergraduate students in Malaysia
Supervisor : Puan Anisah Zainab Musa
Student’s Name : Amanda Lim Xin Yi Student’s ID : 19AAB03195
INSTRUCTIONS:
Please score each descriptor based on the scale provided below:
1. Please award 0 mark for no attempt.

2. Please mark only 3(A) or 3(B) for Proposed Methodology.
3. For criteria 7:
Please retrieve the marks from “Oral Presentation Evaluation Form”.
1. ABSTRACT (5%) Max Score

Score
a. State the main hypotheses/research objectives. 5%
b. Describe the methodology: 5%
• Research design
• Sampling method and sample size
• Location of study
• Instruments/apparatus/outcome measures (if applicable)
• Data gathering procedures
c. Describe the characteristics of participants. 5%
d. Highlight the outcomes of the study or intervention, target 5%
behaviour and outcomes.
e. Conclusions, implications, and applications. 5%
Sum 25% /25%
Subtotal (Sum/5) 5% /5%
Remark:
2. (A) METHODOLOGY (25%) Max Score

Score
a. Research design/framework: 5%
• For experiment, report experimental manipulation,
participant flow, treatment fidelity, baseline data,
adverse events and side effects, assignment method and
implementation, masking (if applicable).
• For non-experiment, describe the design of the study and
data used.
b. Sampling procedures: 5%
• Justification of sampling method/technique used.
• Description of location of study.
• Procedures of ethical clearance approval.
c. Sample size, power, and precision: 5%
• Justification of sample size.
• Achieved actual sample size and response rate.
• Power analysis or other methods (if applicable).
d. Data collection procedures: 5%
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria.
• Procedures of obtaining consent.
• Description of data collection procedures.
• Provide dates defining the periods of recruitment or
repeated measures and follow-up.
• Agreement and payment (if any).
e. Instruments/questionnaire used: 5%
• Description of instruments
• Scoring system
• Meaning of scores
• Reliability and validity
Subtotal 25% /25%
Remark:
3. RESULTS (20%) Max Score

Score
a. Descriptive statistics/Sequence completed: 5%

• Demographic characteristics
• Topic-specific characteristics
• For single-case study, report the sequence completed by
each participant, trial for each session for each case,
dropout and reason if applicable, adverse events if
applicable
b. Data diagnostic and missing data (if applicable): 5%
• Frequency and percentages of missing data
(compulsory).
• Methods employed for addressing missing data.
• Criteria for post data-collection exclusion of participants.
• Criteria for imputation of missing data.
• Defining and processing of statistical outliers.
• Data transformation.
• Analyses of data distributions.
c. Appropriate data analysis for each hypothesis or research 5%
objective.
d. Accurate interpretation of statistical analyses: 5%
• Accurate report and interpretation of confidence
intervals or statistical significance.
• Accurate report of p values and minimally sufficient sets
of statistics (e.g., dfs, MS, MS error).
• Accurate report and interpretation of effect sizes.
• Report any problems with statistical assumptions.
Subtotal 20% /20%
Remark:
4. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION (20%) Max Score

Score
e. Discussion of findings: 5%
• Provide statement of support or nonsupport for all
hypotheses.
• Analyze similar and/or dissimilar results.
• Justifications for statistical results in the context of
study.
f. Implication of the study: 5%
• Theoretical implication for future research.
• Practical implication for programs and policies.
g. Relevant limitations of the study. 5%
h. Recommendations for future research. 5%
Subtotal 20% /20%
Remark:
5. LANGUAGE AND ORGANIZATION (5%) Max Score

Score
a. Language proficiency 3%
b. Content organization 1%
c. Complete documentation (e.g., action plan, originality 1%
report)
Subtotal 5% /5%
Remark:
6. APA STYLE AND REFERENCING (5%) Max Score

Score
a. 7th Edition APA Style 5% /5%
Remark:
*ORAL PRESENTATION (20%) Score

Subtotal
/20%
Remark:
PENALTY Max Score

Score
Maximum of 10 marks for LATE SUBMISSION, or POOR 10%
CONSULTATION ATTENDANCE with supervisor.
**FINAL MARK/TOTAL
/100%
***Overall Comments:
Signature: ________________________ Date: __________________
Notes:
1. Subtotal: The sum of scores for each assessment criterion
2. FINAL MARK/TOTAL: The summation of all subtotal score
3. Plagiarism is NOT ACCEPTABLE. Parameters of originality required and limits
approved by UTAR are as follows:
(i) Overall similarity index is 20% or below, and
(ii) Matching of individual sources listed must be less than 3% each, and
(iii) Matching texts in continuous block must not exceed 8 words
Note: Parameters (i) – (ii) shall exclude quotes, references and text matches which are less than 8
words.
Any works violate the above originality requirements will NOT be accepted. Students
have to redo the report and meet the requirements in SEVEN (7) days.
*The marks of “Oral Presentation” are to be retrieved from “Oral Presentation Evaluation Form”.
**It is compulsory for the supervisor/examiner to give the overall comments for the research projects with A-
and above or F grading.
Appendix J
Submission Sheet for Thesis

Form Title : Sample of Submission Sheet for FYP/Dissertation/Thesis
Form Number : FM-IAD-004 Rev No: 0 Effective Date: 21 June 2011 Page No: 1 of 1

Date :
SUBMISSION OF FINAL YEAR PROJECT
It is hereby certified that Amanda Lim Xin Yi (ID No.: 19AAB03195 ) has
completed this final year project titled “ A study of the relationship between
perceived social support, self-efficacy and academic stress among undergraduate
in Malaysia ” under the supervision of Pn. Anisah Zainab Binti Musa
(Supervisor) from the Department of Psychology and counselling, Faculty of Arts
and Social Science.
I understand that University will upload softcopy of my final year project in pdf
format into UTAR Institutional Repository, which may be made accessible to
UTAR community and public.
Yours truly,
_______
Name: Amanda Lim Xin Yi

Appendix K
Action Plan of UAPC3083 Project Paper II

Supervisee Amanda Lim Xin Yi
Supervisor Puan Anisah Zainab Binti Musa
Supervisee's Supervisor's Next Appointment

Task Description Date Supervisor's Remarks
Signature Signature Date/Time
Methodology
Submit Chapter 3: The chapter has been reviewed and revised.
Methodology 14.02.2023 Amanda Anisah The student has completed the amendments. 28.03.2023
Amend Chapter 3:
Methodology
Results & Findings
The chapter has been reviewed and revised.
Submit Chapter 4: Results
28.03.2023 Amanda Anisah The student has completed the amendments. 07.04.2023
Amend Chapter 4: Results
Discussion & Conclusion
Submit Chapter 5: Anisah The chapter has been reviewed and revised.
Discussion 28.03.2023 Amanda The student has completed the amendments. 07.04.2023
Amend Chapter 5:
Discussion
The abstract has been reviewed and revised.
Abstract 28.03.2023 Amanda Anisah The students has completed the amendments. 07.04.2023
Anisah
Turnitin Submission Amanda Generate similarity rate from Turnitin.com -
05.04.2023
Amendment 05.04.2023 Amanda Anisah -
Submission of final draft 21.04.2023 Amanda Anisah Submission of hardcopy and documents -
Notes: 1. Deadline for submission cannot be changed, mark deduction is as per faculty standard.
2. Supervisees are to take the active role to make appointments with their supervisors.
3. Both supervisors and supervisees should keep a copy of this action plan.
4. This Action Plan should be attached as an appendix in Project Paper 2.
Appendix L

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELING
INDIVIDUAL ORAL PRESENTATION EVALUATION FORM (FACE TO FACE/VIRTUAL PLATFORM)
UAPC3093 PROJECT PAPER II
Student’s Name ID *Total (40%) **Final score (20%)

Amanda Lim Xin Yi 19AAB03195
**Final Score: ( ) / 40 marks ÷ 2 = ( ) / 20 marks
*to be converted into 20%
Date: __________________ Time: _____________
SCORE
EXCELLENT GOOD AVERAGE LACKING
SCORE
4 3 2 1
TRAITS
POSTER PRESENTATION PREPARATION
Title/author of paper clearly
Shows title/author. Presents Title/author are missing.
displayed. Concise Shows title/author. Adequately
main ideas of introduction, Insufficient coverage of main
presentation of introduction, presents introduction, review of
Organisation review of literature, points of introduction, review
review of literature, literature, methodology, findings
methodology, findings and of literature, methodology,
methodology, findings and and conclusions.
conclusions. findings and conclusions.
conclusions.
Student demonstrates Student is able to provide Student is unable convey the
Student is able to provide
competent knowledge of the basic information with vague information fluently to the
sufficient information to enable
subject by explaining the and disjointed ideas. audience/examiner.
Competency audience to understand main
subject with details. Student tried to answer the Student is not able to answer
ideas. Able to answer questions
Able to answer questions questions posted by the the questions posted by the
posted by the
posted by the audience/examiner using audience/examiner.
audience/examiners fluently audience/examiners with common-sense rather than

with confidence. noticeable interval. evidence-based answer.
Overall visually appealing. Visual appeal is adequate.
Visually appealing poster with Visuals lack appeal. Colours
Organisation of content Colours and layout somewhat
appropriate colours, and layout cluttered. Hinders
enhances readability. cluttered. Font size affects
Visual organization, and font sizes readability. Inconsistent font
Appropriate font size enhances readability. Confusing
Presentation enhance readability. sizes and content arrangement
readability. Content content arrangement.
Strategically positioned Mismatch of graphics and
arrangement easily understood. Graphics help to highlight
graphics and text. text.
Graphics enhances text. some content.
The slides are flawless with no 4 misspelling, punctuation
2 – 3 misspelling, punctuation Slides are riddled with
misspelling, punctuation, or and/ or grammatical errors
and/ or grammatical errors in the multiple spelling, punctuation
Mechanics grammatical errors. Provide detected in the slides.
slides. Provided excessive and and/ or grammatical errors.
essential sources and citations Inconsistent citation styles
cluttered sources and citations. Does not cite sources.
using 7th edition APA style. detected.
SCORE
EXCELLENT GOOD AVERAGE LACKING
SCORE
4 3 2 1
TRAITS
VERBAL SKILLS
Demonstrates a strong,
Occasionally shows positive Shows little positive feelings Shows absolutely no interest
Enthusiasm positive feeling about topic
feelings about topic. toward topic presented. in topic presented.
during entire presentation.
Uses a clear voice and speaks Presenter’s voice is clear. The Presenter’s voice is low. The Presenter mumbles or talks
at a good pace so audience can pace is a little slow or fast at pace is much too rapid/slow. very fast and speaks too softly
Delivery
hear presentation. Does not times. Audience can hear Audience has difficulty for audience to hear and
read off slides. presentation. hearing presentation. understand.
Presentation shows competent Some parts of lapse into
Excellent and competent use
Language use of subject-related colloquialism with Mostly inappropriate
of subject-related vocabulary
vocabulary and correct inappropriate vocabulary and vocabulary and pronunciation.
and correct pronunciation.
pronunciation. pronunciation.
NON-VERBAL SKILLS
Student maintains eye contact Student maintains eye contact Student occasionally uses eye
Student reads all of report
Eye Contact with audience, seldom most of the time but frequently contact, but still reads most of
with no eye contact.
returning to notes. returns to notes. report.
Rigid movement or No movement or descriptive

Movements seem fluid. Made movements or gestures
descriptive gestures. Displays gestures. Tension and
Displays relaxed, self- that enhance articulation. Makes
Body Language mild tension; has trouble nervousness are obvious; has
confident nature about self, minor mistakes, displays little or
& recovering from mistakes. trouble recovering from
with no-mistakes. no tension.
Facial Occasionally demonstrate mistakes.
Appropriate facial expression Occasionally demonstrate either
Expression both zoned-out or confused Consistently zoned-out or
without a zoned-out or a zoned-out or confused
expressions during displays confused expression
confused expression. expression during presentation.
presentation. during presentation.
Within 17 minutes of allotted Within 20 minutes of allotted
Within 10 to 15 minutes of Too long (>20 minutes) or too
Timing time OR too short (<10 time OR too short (<5
allotted time. short (<3 minutes).
minutes). minutes).
*TOTAL
Comments:
Evaluated by:
(NAME OF EVALUATOR: ______________________________)
Department of Psychology and Counseling

Faculty of Arts and Social Science
UTAR Perak Campus

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PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS

A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT,

SELF-EFFICACY, AND ACADEMIC STRESS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE

AMANDA LIM XIN YI

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE (HONS) GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia.

Amanda Lim Xin Yi

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

University Tunku Abdul Rahman. It was submitted on APRIL 2023.

Additionally, I would like to extend my appreciation to my parents for their constant

and advice throughout my way to completing my final year project.

Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to every respondent who volunteered to

appreciated by every one of you who is a part of this research.

AMANDA LIM XIN YI

(Puan Anisah Zainab Musa)

self-efficacy, and academic stress among undergraduate students in Malaysia. A quantitative

they printed, electronic, or personal.

Name : Amanda Lim Xin Yi

Date : 18th April 2023

Declaration Form III

List of Tables VII

List of Figures VIII

Significance of the study 5

Conceptual Definition of Terms 8

Operational Definition of Terms 9

Perceived Social Support 12

Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy 15

Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy 15

Academic Stress and Perceived Social Support 17

Perceived Social Support, Self-Efficacy and Academic Stress 18

Ethical Clearance Approval 25

Sample Size, Power, and Precision 26

Sample Size Calculation 26

Actual Sample Size 26

Research Data Collection Procedures 27

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria 27

Procedures for Obtaining Consent 28

Procedures of Data Collection Procedures 29

Descriptive Statistics of Topic-Specific Characteristics 36

Data Diagnostic and Missing Data 37

Frequency and Percentages Missing Data 37

Methods for Addressing Missing Data 38

Criteria for Post Data-Collection Exclusion of Participants 38

Criteria for Imputation of Missing Data 39

Analyses of Data Distributions 39

Pearson Product-Moment Correlation 41

5 Discussion & Conclusion 44

Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy 44

Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy 45

Academic Stress and Perceived Social Support 46

Limitations of Study & Recommendations for Future Research 50

Appendix A Sample Size Calculation 76

Appendix B JASP 0.16.4 Output for Pearson’s Correlation 80

Appendix C Descriptive Statistics 83