COPING STRATEGIES AND ACADEMIC STRESS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between coping strategies and academic stress among undergraduate students at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State. Specifically, it investigated the extent to which problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies relate to levels of academic stress. The study adopted a correlational research design and involved a population of 8,000 undergraduate students, from which a sample of 367 students was selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, and reliability was confirmed through a pilot study with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.82 for coping strategies and 0.85 for academic stress. Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed a significant negative relationship between problem-focused coping strategies and academic stress (r = -0.462, p < 0.05), indicating that students who actively address academic challenges experienced lower stress. Conversely, a significant positive relationship was found between emotion-focused coping strategies and academic stress (r = 0.314, p < 0.05), suggesting that reliance on emotion-oriented strategies is associated with higher stress levels. The results underscore the importance of adopting effective coping strategies to manage academic stress and highlight the need for interventions that promote problem-solving skills among students. The study recommends workshops, counseling services, and stress management programs that enhance adaptive coping mechanisms to support students’ well-being and academic performance.