146

Khan, Altaf and Kausar

FWU Journal of Social Sciences, Winter 2013, Vol. 7, No. 2, 146-151

Effect of Perceived Academic Stress on Students’ Performance

Mussarat Jabeen Khan

G. C. University, Lahore

Seema Altaf and Hafsa Kausar

International Islamic University, Islamabad

Current study explored the effect of academic stress on students’ performance and the impact of
demographic variables like gender, age and educational level. A sample of one hundred and fifty students
was taken from different universities located in Islamabad. Seventy- five respondents were males and the
remaining seventy-five were females. The results showed significant effect of academic stress on student’s
performance. There was a non-significant difference between male and female university students on scores
on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). A significant difference between junior and senior students was found
on the PSS. Academic stress was found to be higher in younger students than older students. There was a
non-significant difference on PSS scores among students when stress was measured at the beginning
and at the end of the semester. model suggests that individuals can consider stressful
events as demanding or frightening. Perception of
Keywords: academic stress, performance, juniors, educational goals as a challenge brings stress and in
seniors turn this stress creates a sense of competence and
enhanced learning capability. However, perception of
Stress arises when there are burden on the person
which exceed his available assets. If stress is harsh and Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to
extended, it can lessen academic performance, hinder Mussarat Jabeen Khan Ph.D Scholar Department of Psychology G. C.
with a student’s capability to involve in and add to University, Lahore. Email: [email protected]
campus life, and raise the probability of substance education as a threat brings such stress which brings
abuse and other potentially destructive behaviors forth hopeless and a foreboding sense of loss, thus
(Richlin-Klonsky & Hoe, 2003). leading to lower academic achievement.

Researchers (Vermunt & Steensman, 2005; Topper, Stress is considered to be a part of students’ life and
2007; Malach-Pines & Keinan, 2007) have defined stress can impact the students coping strategies in accordance
as the insight of incongruity between environmental with the demands of academic life. This is so because
burden (stressors) and person’s ability to fulfill these academic work is always accomplished with stressful
demands. Researchers usually define stress as the activities (Agolla & Ongori, 2009). Students reported their
undesirable response people have to extreme strain or experience of high academic stress at predictable times in
other sort of burden placed on them. Stress occurs each semester which results from preparing and taking
when a person deal with a situation exams, class ranking competition, and mastering huge
that they recognize as irresistible and cannot manage.  amount of syllabus ina comparatively very small amount
of time (Rawson, Bloomer, & Kendall, 1999).
In an advanced educational organization such as
University (Smith, Johal, Wadsworth, Smith & Peters, Among college students, a strong relationship is
2000) where the load placed on students is based on found between stressful life events and reduced
time limit and difficulty to stand out in tests or academic performance as well as there is a link between
examination, students are prone to experience stress. health related quality of life and stress (Dusselier, Dunn,
Researchers (Malach-Pines & Keinan, 2007; Ongori, Wang, Shelley & Whalen, 2005; Misra & McKean, 2000).
2007; Agolla & Ongori, 2009.; Agolla, 2009) have long Undergraduate students stated that stress was the most
recognized stress symptoms as loss of energy, elevated common factor among all health factors which impact
blood pressure, depressed mood , increase in craving, their academic performance, as stress harmfully affects
difficulty in concentrating, impatience, nervousness physical and psychological health (Dwyer & Cummings,
and strain . 2001). Wintre and Yaffe (2000) concluded that high level
of stress during the first year of college forecasst lower
One model that is valuable for understanding level of overall adjustment and can make the students
stress among university students is the Person- more susceptible to many social and psychological
Environment Model (Misra & McKean, 2000). This problems, thus leading to a lower grade point average
 147
(GPA) in the final year. Many studies have addressed this Hypotheses
issue and it was found that many psychological problems,
such as depression, anxiety, and stress have an impact on To explore the effect of academic stress on
the studenst academic achievement. Williamson, students’ performance the following hypotheses were
Birmaher, Ryan, and Dahl (2005) reported that in anxious formulated and tested.
and depressed youth, stressful life events are • Academic stress effects students’ performance.
considerably elevated which in turn lead to low • Academic stress will be higher in female
performance in academics. students as compared to male students.
• Academic stress will be higher in younger
Now a day’s stress has become an important subject students than older students.
matter in research studies in academic circle as well as in • Academic stress will be higher in less qualified
our society. This research was conducted to study the students (junior students) than highly qualified
effect of academic stress on students’ performance. students (senior students).
Academic stress among students has long been a topic of
• Academic stress will be higher among students
research study and researchers have recognized different
at the end of semester than at the beginning of
important stressors which include excessive assignments,
semester.
unhealthy competition among class students, fear of
failure in educational achievement and lack of pocket
Method
money (Fairbrother & Warn, 2003), poor interpersonal
relationships in class or with lecturers, and family
problems. Among Institutional level stressors are Instrument
overcrowded lecture halls, (Ongori, 2007; Awino &
Agolla, 2008), the semester system, and insufficient Sheldon Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen,
resources to perform academic work. Kumar and Jejurkar Kamarck & Mermelstein, 1983) is a measure of the
(2005) concluded in their studies that academic factors degree to which situations in one’s life are appraised as
were mainly responsible for a higher level of stress stressful. It has 10 items. It uses a 5 point rating scale
among undergraduate students. Students experience ranging from “0” to “4”. 0 = Never, 1 = Almost Never, 2 =
stress due to different many factors including issues of Sometimes, 3 = Fairly Often, 4 = Very Often. Items 4, 5, 7
time management, financial matters, interaction with and 8 are reversed scored. The reliability of Sheldon
lecturers, personal subjective goals, social behavior, Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale according to different
adjustment in the academic culture lack of support researchers is .78 (Cohen & Williamson, 1988), .89
system (Wilks, 2008), admission process, high expectation (Roberti, Harrington & Storch, 2006) and.83 (Gonzalez &
of parents, curriculum comprised of complex concepts, Ladero, 2007).
unsuitable school timings, unbalanced student-teacher
ratio, physical environment of classroom, unhealthy Sample
student teacher interaction, hard and fast rules of
discipline, too many or complex assignments, teaching The sample consists of 150 university students,
methodology, unconcerned teacher’s attitude and purposively selected from different universities located in
overemphasis on weaknesses rather than acknowledging Islamabad, i.e., Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad,
strengths (Masih & Gulrez, 2006). Academic stress arises Bahria University Islamabad, Air University Islamabad and
when academic related demands exceeds to those Riphah International University Islamabad. Among these,
available resources to an individual which he/she adapts. 75 participants were male students and 75 were female
(Wilks, 2008). And this stress must not be overlooked as students. The age range of the sample was 18 to 25 years.
it negatively affects the general adjustment of the
students. (Hussain, Kumar, & Husain, 2008). Procedure

Misra and Castillo (2004) conducted a study, in The data was collected by administering the scale in
which they concluded that perception and reaction to a group to the student participants. The respondents
stress is different in both genders i.e. male and female were instructed to complete the scale by giving a
while Jogaratnam and Buchanan (2004) found a response to every item of scale. Informed consent was
significant difference between male and female students taken and all the respondents were assured that the data
on the time pressure factor of stress. Sulaiman, Hassan, would be kept confidential. Their percentages of previous
Sapian and Abdullah (2009) studied that males and semester’s exam were taken as measure of academic
female students experience different level of stress and performance. After getting data, scoring and analysis
an explanation may be because females are more likely to were done.
be emotional than males in reaction to their
environment. Results

Table 1
 148
Khan, Altaf and Kausar
Linear Regression Analysis showing Academic stress as Juniors 101 18.41 5.69
the predictor of student’s performance (N=150) Seniors 49 16.51 1.98 0.04 0.00 3.80 0.35
Model B SE  t p 5.11
Constant 1.99 .12 16.37 .000
Table 4 indicates the significant mean difference
Academic stress -.02 -.01 -.19 2.34 .020
between junior and senior students on Perceived Stress
R2 = .30
Scale (PSS), less qualified or junior students scored
∆R2 = .30 higher (M=18.41, SD=5.69) on the perceived stress scale
than highly qualified or senior students (M=16.51,
Table 1 show that academic stress predicts student’s SD=5.11). So, academic stress is higher in less qualified
performance. The ∆R2 value of .30 indicates that 30 % or junior students than highly qualified or senior
variance in the dependent variable which is student’s students.
performance can be accounted for by the predictor which
is Table 5
EFFECT OF PERCEIVED ACADEMIC STRESS Mean Standard Deviation and t-value of students at the
beginning and at the end of the semester Perceived
Stress
the academic stress with F = 5.49, p < .001. Academic Scale (PSS)
stress has a significant negative effect on student’s
Semester N M SD t p LL UL Cohen’s
performance ( = -.19, p<.001).
d
Table 2 Beginning 88 17.85 5.27
Mean Standard Deviation and t-value of male and female End 62 17.70 0.15 0.87 -1.68 1.97 0.02
students on Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) 6.00
Gender N M SD t p LL UL Cohen’s
Table 5 indicates the non-significant difference
d
among students at the beginning and at the end of the
Male 75 17.02 5.09
0.09 0.09 -3.31 .25 0.27 semester.
Female 75 18.56 5.93 Discussion

Table 2 indicates the non-significant difference Present research studied the effect of academic
between males and females students on Perceived Stress stress on student’s performance and the consequences of
Scale (PSS). some demographic variables like gender, age, educational
level and at the beginning and end of the semester.
Table 3 Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to measure stress
Mean, Standard Deviation and t-value of younger and among students. It consists of 10 items and reliability is
older students on Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) 0.74 which shows that the scale is reliable.
Age N M SD t p LL UL Cohen’s
d According to first hypothesis, academic stress effects
Younger 114 18.49 5.46 student’s performance. Result found it significant
2.79 0.00 .85 4.96 0.53 because with the semester system, students have less
Older 36 15.58 5.36
time period but they are required to accomplish many
modules and this leads to stress. It was also supported by
Table 3 indicates the significant difference was
the existing literature. A study by Safree, Yasin and
found on the mean scores between younger and older
Dzulkifli (2010) also indicated the same results. They
students on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Younger
found that depression, anxiety, and stress are negatively
students scored higher (M=18.49, SD=5.46) on the
correlated with academic achievement. The higher the
perceived stress scale than older students (M=15.58,
stress, the lower the academic achievement of students.
SD= 5.36). So, academic stress is higher in younger
The study found that the ability to manage stress was
students than older students.
equally important. The way students perceive the stress
is an important factor in its seriousness. Negative or
Table 4
excessive stress perception contributes to the students
Mean Standard Deviation and t-value in less qualified
experiencing psychological and physical impairment
students (juniors) and highly qualified students (seniors)
(Murphy & Archer, 1996). Students who are able to
on
handle their stress effectively perform much better than
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
those who are unable to control their stress.
Education N M SD t p LL UL Cohen’s
d
 149
According to second hypothesis, academic stress will enthusiasm and competition among them rather than
be higher in female students as compared to male creating boredom and stress.
students. The result indicated the non-significant
difference between males and females on Perceived Limitations and Suggestions
Stress Scale. It is supported by the existing research
conducted by Watson (2002) to inspect the academic The generalization of this study is somewhat
stress among college students enrolled in a state college questionable as it has some limitations:
in the Philippines with reference to gender differences. • The sample of the study was small. So to
The results found non-significant difference in the overcome this limitation sample size must be
perceived stress between male and female students increased and regionally diverse.
because female students have also learned the time
• Many students were reluctant to give their
management and stress coping strategies like male
percentages. In order to overcome this
students. They enjoy their studies by adopting effective
limitation their academic record can be
and efficient study habits. Moreover they are much
confirmed from their respected departments.
devoted, concerned and consistent in their studies.
• Students might have manipulated their true
responses so it can be overcome by using
According to third hypothesis, the academic stress
counter questioning.
will be higher in younger students than older students.
The result demonstrated a significant difference occurs • Poor time management behaviors can also be
between younger and older students on Perceived Stress the cause of academic stress so for future
Scale. Academic stress is higher in younger students than research we must evaluate the study habits of
older students as younger students are not that much students by asking them how much time they
adjusted to academic stress of university as seniors are. give to their studies? There must be the use of
They feel adjustment problems and more but the older any other specific scale which can directly and
students reported enhanced time management skills as accurately explore their study habits.
compared to younger students (Trueman & Hartley,
1996), because they have learned and adjusted Conclusion
themselves with successful time management behaviors
which in turn leads to less academic stress and anxiety. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of
academic stress on student’s performance and to
According to fourth hypothesis, academic stress will compare academic stress among students on the basis of
be higher in less qualified students (juniors) than highly their gender, age, educational level and at different
qualified students (seniors). Result showed the significant timings during semester. A sample of one hundred and
difference between junior and senior students on fifty students was taken from different universities of
Perceived Stress Scale. Juniors scored higher on the Islamabad. Regression analysis and independent sample
Perceived Stress Scale than seniors. Academic stress is t-test were applied for analysis. The results showed
higher in less qualified students (juniors) than highly negative effect of academic stress on student’s
qualified students (seniors); as less qualified students are performance and non-significant difference between
less experienced, have low maturity level and are more males and females on Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). A
victimized by academic stress of university as compared significant difference was obtained between less qualified
to the seniors who are not only mature and experienced (junior) and high qualified (senior) students, younger and
but are also well adapted and welladjusted to academic older students, but non-significant difference among
stress. According to Porter (1990), almost 60% of students at the beginning and at the end of the semester.
university students left university without completing So it was concluded from this study that if academic
their degrees; the majority of these students leave within stress was severe or delayed, it decreases student’s
the first two years due to incapability of managing their academic performance; hinders his ability to study
psychological conditions especially to cope with stress. efficiently and better time management. So students
must develop effective study habits by giving appropriate
According to fifth hypothesis, academic stress will be time that must fulfill the demand of their course.
higher among students at the end of semester than at
the beginning of semester. The result indicated the Implications
nonsignificant difference among students at the
beginning and at the end of the semester because in The findings of this study will help the students,
semester system no matter; whether it is the start or end intellectuals, instructors, career and counseling centers,
of semester students mostly have to remain vigilant and the University administrations to put in place all
throughout the semester. It is the demand of semester those mechanisms that can lessen the impacts of stress
system to remain active and put extra efforts by studying on the students. The finding spurs intellectual forums on
on regular basis. Now-a-days more challenging and the issue of academic stress among students in higher
innovative tasks are assigned to students which maintain institutions and helps the readers to peep into the actual
 150
Khan, Altaf and Kausar
causes of poor academic performance and academic Hussain, A., Kumar, A., & Husain, A. (2008). Academic
stress. Stress and Adjustment among High School
Students. Journal of Indian Academy of Applied
Psychology, 34(special issue), 70-73.
References
Jogaratnam, G. & Buchanan, P. (2004). Balancing the
Agolla, J. E. (2009). Occupational Stress among Police Demands of School and Work: Stress and
Officers: The case of Botswana Police Service. Employed Hospitality Students. International
Research Journal of Business Management, 2 Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
(1): Management, 16(4), 237-245.
25-35.
Kumar, S. & Jejurkar, K. (2005). Study of Stress Level in
Agolla, J. E. & Ongori, H. (2009). An Assessment of Occupational Therapy Students during
Academic Stress among Undergraduate their Academic Curriculum. The
Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy,
Students: The Case of University of Botswana. 37 (1), 5-14.
Educational Research and Review, 4 (2), 63- 70.
Malach-Pines A, Keinan G (2007). Stress and burnout in
Awino, J. O. & Agolla, J. E. (2008). A quest for sustainable Israel police officers during
quality assurance measurement for universities: Palestinian uprising
case of study of the University of Botswana. (intifada). International Journal of Stress
Educational Research Review, 3 (6): 213-218. Management, 14: 160-174.

Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global Masih, P. P. & Gulrez, N. K. (2006). Age and Gender
measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health Differences on Stress. In Husain, A. & Khan, M.
and Social Behavior, 24, 386-396. I. (eds.). Recent Trends in Human Stress
Management (97-104). New Delhi,
Cohen, S. & Williamson, G. (1988). Perceived Stress in a India: Global Mission Publishing House.
Probability Sample of the United States.
Spacapan, S. and Oskamp, S. (Eds.). The Social Misra, R. & McKean, M. (2000). College students’
Psychology of Health. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. academic stress and its relation to their anxiety,
time management, and leisure satisfaction.
American Journal of Health Studies, 16 (1): 41 –
EFFECT OF PERCEIVED ACADEMIC STRESS
52.

Misra, R. & Castillo, L. G. (2004). Academic Stress among

Dusselier, L., Dunn, B., Wang, Y., Shelley, M. C., & Whalen,
College Students: Comparison of American and
D. F. (2005). Personal, health,
academic, and environmental International Students. International Journal of
predictors of stress for residence hall students. Stress Management, 11 (2), 132-148
Journal of American College Health, 54: 15-24. Murphy, M. C. & Archer, J. (1996). Stressors on the
college campus: a comparison of 1985 – 1993.
Dwyer, A. L. & Cummings, A. L. (2001). Stress, self- Journal of College Student Development, 37: 20
efficacy, social support, and coping strategies in – 28.
university students. Canadian Journal of
Counseling, 35(3): Ongori H. (2007). A review of the literature on employee
208-220. turnover, African Journal of Business
Management, 1(3): 49-54.
Fairbrother, K. & Warn, J. (2003). Workplace Dimensions,
Stress and Job Satisfaction. Journal of Porter, O. F. (1990). Undergraduate completion and
Managerial persistence at four-year colleges and
Psychology, 18(1): 8-21 universities. National Institute of Independent
Colleges and Universities.
Gonzalez, M. T., & Ladero, R. L. (2007). Factor structure of
the perceived stress scale (PSS) in a sample Rawson, H. E., Bloomer, K., & Kendall, A. (1999). Stress,
from Mexico. The Spanish Journal of anxiety, depression, and physical illness in
Psychology, 10(1), 199-206. college students. The Journal of Genetic
Psychology, 155(3): 321-330.
Richlin-Klonsky, J. & Hoe, R. (2003). Sources and Levels of
 151
Stress among UCLA Students. Student Affairs
Briefing, 2.

Roberti, J. W., Harrington, L. N., & Storch, E. A. (2006).

Further psychometric support for the 10-item
version of the perceived stress scale. Journal of
College Counseling, 9, 135-147.

Safree, Yasin & Dzulkifli. (2010). The relationship between

social support and academic achievement
among students. International Journal of
Business and Social Sciences, 1 (3): 110 – 116.

Smith, A., Johal, S., Wadsworth, E., Smith, G.D., & Peters,
T.
(2000). The Scale of Occupational Stress: The
Bristol Stress and Health at work study. HSE
Books, Sudbury.

Sulaiman, T., Hassan, A., Sapian, V. M., & Abdullah, S. K.

(2009). The Level of Stress among Students in
Urban and Rural Secondary Schools in Malaysia.
European Journal of Social Sciences, 10(2), 179-
184.

Topper, E. F. (2007). Stress in the library workplace. New

Library World. 561-564.

Trueman, M., & Hartley, J. (1996). A comparison between

the time-management skills and
academic performance of
mature and traditional-entry university
students. Higher Education, 32(2), 199215.

Vermunt R., Steensma H (2005). How can justice be used

to manage stress in organisations? In J.
Greenberg and J.A. Colquitt (Ed.), Handbook of
organizational
justice, 383-410.Mawah, NJ: Erlbaum

Watson, R. L. (2002). A comparison of perceived stress

levels and coping styles of junior and senior
Williamson, D. E., Birmaher, B., Ryan, N. D., & Dahl, R. E.
students in nursing and social work programs.
(2005). Stressful life events in anxious and
Unpublished doctoral dissertation,
depressed children. Journal of Child and
Marshall University, Huntington,
Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 15, 4, 571–
580.
Wilks, S. E. (2008). Resilience amid Academic Stress: The
Moderating Impact of Social Support among Social Winter, M. G. & Yaffe, M. (2000). First-year students’
Work Students. Advances in Social Work, 9(2), 106- adjustment to university life as a function of
125 relationship with parents. Journal of Adolescent
Research, 5(1): 9 -37.

Received: April 4, 2013

 152
Khan, Altaf and Kausar
Revision Received: Nov 28, 2013