THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU OJUKWU UNIVERSITY, IGBARIAM CAMPUS, ANAMBRA STATE
ABSTRACT:The study was carried out to determine the effects of stress on the academic performance of students in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam campus. Four research questions were used as a guide and descriptive survey design was adopted, the population comprised of 15,664 students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam campus, Anambra State out of which a sample of 300 was used. Instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire of 19 items designed with a four- scale response options. The arithmetic mean was used for data analysis. The findings of the study indicated that there factors that poses stress on students in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, Igbariam campus, Anambra State, because students experience stress as a result of; the distance from the school to hostel, examination time table that are not spaced out for students to have time to prepare well, high school fees, long lecture periods and Poor eating habit. It was also revealed that Stress affects academic performance of students in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, Igbariam campus, Anambra State because; students who are free from stress are likely to perform well academically, stress leads to poor performance, students that are faced with financial problem tend to perform poor academically and emotional stress affects academic performance. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made by the researcher; those in education sectors should do their best to remove or control those stressors. Government and school administrators should organize seminars and workshops where students will be educated on how to control those stressors.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
TITLE PAGE I
APPROVAL PAGE II
CERTIFICATION III
DEDICATION IV
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS V
ABSTRACT VI
TABLE OF CONTENTS VII
LIST OF TABLES X
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 4
Significance of the Study 5
Purpose of the Study 6
Scope of the Study 7
Research Questions 7
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Conceptual Framework 9
Concept of Stress 9
Academic Performance 12
Theoretical Framework 14
Systemic Stress: Selye’s Theory 14
Psychological Stress: The Lazarus Theory 18
Theoretical Studies 22
A Bridge between Systemic and Cognitive Viewpoints 22
Types and Managing of Stress 24
Empirical Studies 31
Factors that Posed Stress on Students 31
Effects of Stress on the Academic Performance of Students 31
Summary of Related Literature 37
CHAPTER THREE: METHOD
Research Design 39
Area of the Study 39
Population of the Study 40
Sample and Sampling Techniques 40
Instrument for Data Collection 40
Validation of the Instrument 41
Reliability of Data Instrument 41
Method of Data Collection 41
Method of Data Analysis 42
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Research Questions 44
Summary of Findings 48
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMEDATION
Discussion of Results 50
Conclusion 52
Implications of the Study 53
Recommendations 53
Limitations of the Study 54
Suggestions for Further Research 54
REFERENCES 55
APPENDIXES 58
LIST OF TABLES
Content Page
1: Mean response of students on the factors that poses stress 44
- Mean response on stress from social factor that affects the
academic performance of students 45
- Means response on stress from health factors that affects
students academic performance. 46
4. Mean response on the effects of stress on the academic
performance of students. 47
AN OVERVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU OJUKWU UNIVERSITY, IGBARIAM CAMPUS, ANAMBRA STATE
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
- Background to the study
Stress can come in different ways in an individual’s daily life. Stress is also viewed as the body’s reaction, both neurologically and physiologically, to adapt to a new condition (Franken, 1994). When there is a change in life, we adjust ourselves to fit in the new condition. For a student, stress may be caused by failure in academics or sports, financial problems, health problems or loss of a family member or close friend. Such events that bring stress are called stressors. A sudden change in life or stressors may affect a person’s life style or even his/her physical and mental health. The impact of a stressor leaves on a person depends on how the person takes the tension. If the person takes the event positively by accepting it as a part of challenge in life and find ways to deal with it, the stress will fade away and gone when he/she gets over it. Conversely, the consequence may leave the person a prolonged emotional disturbance.
Learning and memory can be affected by stress. Although an optimal level of stress can enhance learning ability (Kaplan & Sadock, 2000), too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems (Niemi & Vainiomaki, 1999), reduce students’ self esteem (Linn & Zeppa, 1984; Silver & Glicken, 1990) and may affect students’ academic achievement.
Stress can be increased by participation in risky behaviors that are common amongst university students (Kwan, Faulkner, Arbour-Nicitopoulos & Cairney, 2013). For example, it has been found that university students have high rates of alcohol use, binge drinking (Kingsbury et al., 2014; Moore-Rodríguez et al., 2014; Ward, Lallemand,& De Witte, 2014), unprotected sex (King, Vidourek & Singh, 2014; Pengpid, Peltzer, Mirrakhimov, & Erkin, 2014), and drug experimentation (Bennett & Holloway, 2014; Holloway, Bennet, Perry, & Gorden, 2014; Leinwand, 2007). University students also report unhealthy sleep habits, (Curcio, Ferrara & De Gennaro, 2006; Patton, 2002; Viner, 2007), being physical inactive (Haase, Steptoe, Sallis & Wardle, 2004), disordered eating (Cornblatt, 2009), and poor eating habits (American College Health Association, 2009, Ontario University and College Health Association (OUCHA), 2009).
Further, if a student is challenged with inadequate stress management skills, limited resilience, lack of social support, or poor mental health; overall health can be compromised (CAUCUSS & CMHA, 2013; Fonagy, 1994; Pittman & Richmond, 2008; Rutter, 2012; Skipworth, 2011; Verger et al., 2009; Walsh, 2007;Werner, 1995). Therefore, an important aspect to supporting students during university education is to understand the stressors they face and addressing the ways in which stress can be managed.
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University, formerly called Anambra State University is a Nigerian tertiary institution located in Uli, a suburb in Anambra State. The University was established by law No. 13 of 2000 by the Anambra State Government and has a 2-Campus structure. The main campus of the University is located at Uli, in the former site of the Ekwenugo Okeke Polytechnic, formally called Anambra State Polytechnic. The second campus is located at Igbariam in the former site of the College of Agriculture. The law establishing the University phased out the State Polytechnic and the University inherited its assets and liabilities. On the other hand, the University law failed to repeal the Edict establishing the College of Agriculture, Igbariam, hence, legally, the University and the College existed side by side at the Igbariam Campus site, until 2006 when the government relocated the College of Agriculture to Mgbakwu, about fifteen kilometers away from Igbariam.
On 11 September 2014, the university was changed to its current name after a bill was passed by the Anambra State House of Assembly with the aim of immortalizing Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a politician and leader of the breakaway Republic of Biafra. Currently the University has a three (3) Campus structure comprising: Uli Campus, Igbariam Campus, Alor Campus. Meanwhile, the Faculties of Law, Agriculture, Arts & Social Sciences and Management Sciences are located at Igbariam Campus of the University, in Anambra East Local Government Area, which is the focus of this study.
- Statement of Problem
University students have many obstacles to overcome in order to achieve optimal academic performance. A number of researches have been done looking at the correlation of many stress factors that university students experience and the effects of stress on their GPA (Hatcher and Prus, 1991; Hammer, Grigsby and Woods, 1998; Trockel, Barnes and Egget, 2000; Calderon, Hey and Seabert, 2001; Kelly, Kelly and Clanton, 2001). Researches were also conducted to assess the relationship between stress and academic achievement of undergraduate students and it is found that stress affects students’ academic achievement (Elliot et al.,2005; Choi, Abbott, Arthur & Hill, 2007). Students complained of feeling stressed academically when it comes to facing exams and grade competition and having too much information to study yet insufficient time to master the knowledge (Carveth, Gesse & Moss, 1996). Bennett (2003) reported a similar finding that stress is significantly correlated with poor academic performance in his study of business undergraduates. Majority of the investigation has taken place in the United States of America (USA) and the emphasis was placed more on the students in the medical field. The researcher have found out that there is not much research conducted in our local universities particularly in Anambra state university itself pertaining to this issue. The need to embark on this study is thus justified. Therefore, it is timely to conduct a research to examine the effects of Stress on the Academic performance of undergraduate in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbaraim campus.
- Significance of the Study
The findings of this study, after it has well been disseminated will create an awareness on what stress is, its causes and its effects on Academic performance of students. The findings from the present study would benefit various parties in the university especially the Students Affairs department and the entire university community in planning and conducting necessary programmes for the students so that stress-related factors could be reduced and better academic performance could be achieved by the students.
The findings of this work will also be of interest to the Government, Lecturers, students, ministry of Education, and all stakeholders in Education.
The study will be of immense benefit to the Government as it will help it to initiate policies that will help reduce stress in our Nigerian universities which will increase the Academic performance of students.
The study will also help Lecturers to ascertain the best teaching method or pattern that will help reduce stress on students in order to increase their academic performance.
The study will be invaluable to Students as it will help them to ascertain what causes or triggers stress to them and the best remedial actions or plan to embark upon in order to reduce stress and increase their academic performance.
- Purpose of the Study
The main purpose or objective of this study is to examine the effects of stress on the academic performance of undergraduates in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam campus. The Specific objective includes;
- To identify the factors that posed stress on students.
- To examine ways in which stress from social factor affects the academic performance of students.
- To determine ways in which stress from health factor affects the academic performance of students.
- To examine the effect of stress on the academic performance of students.
- Scope of the Study
This research work focused on the effects of stress on the academic performance of students in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam campus, Anambra State. The study was restricted to whether students are under stress; if yes, the effects of stress on their academic performance, and finally to analyze whether stress from social and health factors influences their academic performance.
- Research Questions
- What are the factors that posed stress on students?
- What are the ways in which stress from social factor affects the academic performance of students?
- What are the ways in which stress from health factor affects the academic performance of students?
- What are the effects of stress on the academic performance of students?
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