Exploring the Relationship of Academic Stress with Resilience and Self-concept of School Students and Undergraduates

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship of academic stress with resilience and self concept among school students (11th and 12th class only) and undergraduates. Academic stress refers to the body’s response to academic-related demands which exceeds a student’s adaptive capabilities. Self-concept is an individual’s perception of it’s behavior, abilities, and unique characteristics. Resilience is the psychological quality that allows people to be knocked down by the adversities of life and come back as strong as before. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship of academic stress with self-concept and resilience among school students and undergraduates and also that there will be a significant difference between school and undergraduate students on the measures of academic stress, self concept and resilience. A two-group design was followed as data was collected from school students (11th and 12th class only) and undergraduates using non-probability sampling techniques. Results were analysed using descriptive (means and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test and correlation). A semi-structured interview method was also used to collect more in-depth data from 10 school students and 10 undergraduates. This data was then further thematically analyzed. Statistical results indicated that undergraduates are high on constructs of academic stress, self-concept and resilience. The relationship of academic stress with the self-concept and resilience of school students and undergraduates has been found to be non significant and negatively low. Thematic analysis found that participants’ academic stress is a significant predictor of school students and undergraduates self-concept and resilience, with various common factors found common between school students and undergraduates responses with respect to academic stress, self-concept and resilience and various sources of academic stress identified for both school students and undergraduate participants. Future suggestions and limitations were also suggested along with various strategies to help improve student’s overall life quality.