Academic stress among Indian adolescent girls

Abstract

CONTEXT: Academic learning is the main source of stress among adolescents and is associated with mental health problems; finding its determinants helps to know the risk factors that influence stress. AIM: The main aim of the study was to assess the educational stress and their predictors among adolescent girls. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted in ten colleges involving adolescent girls pursuing preuniversity and university studies at Dharwad city, India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 314 randomly selected adolescent girls aged between 16 and 19 years. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee. Data were collected by employing random sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaires were administered which included sociodemographic data sheet, personality inventory, intelligence quotient (IQ) assessment, and educational stress scale for adolescents. RESULTS: Mean educational stress was 50.04 ± 10.82 (range 16–80). There was a significant association between educational stress and religion, father education, number of siblings, combination of subjects, type of personality, and IQ. Regression analysis revealed that number of siblings and extrovert neuroticism personality negatively predicted stress (beta = −0.115, P = 0.037; beta = −0.242, P = 0.001) and considered as protective factors. Introvert neuroticism, Hindu religion, illiterate father, and commerce combination of subjects positively predicted stress among adolescent girls (beta = 0.160, P = 0.026; beta = 0.119, P = 0.028; beta = 0.125, P = 0.017; and beta = 0.278, P < 0.001) and considered as risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Findings help in better understanding of educational stress factors among adolescent girls and consider them while developing stress prevention programs.

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